Sainthood
by PAR1687
Summary: Two P.I's in South Boston, an organized copycat crime ring known as "The Guardians", and the McManus Twins. Love, loyalty, lust, envy, murder, mystery, and a whole range of other deadly sins ensue. Not great at summaries, but definitely worth your time!
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!**

**I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters. **

**It is based on the 1999 movie and my own imagination! Story is set in 2003, 5 years after the movie. The McManus twins are now apprx. 32 yrs of age, as they were 27 in the movie five years prior. Ryn is 23. Ayden is 26. I do not intend to rip off any other writer, therefore if this premise has been done before, I'm sorry, this is unintentional!**

**WARNING:**** BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. **

**All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!**

**Sainthood **

Chapter 1: The Meeting

Ryn stared out of the cold, frost-covered window pane that overlooked the busy streets of South Boston.

"Well", she thought to herself, "I'm finally here in South Boston; the closest thing to my Irish roots as I'm gonna get, short of going to Ireland itself."

Sighing loudly, she turned slowly around to look at the small apartment she had now claimed as her "own", so to speak.

To call it drab would be an understatement. The walls were a dull tan color, that looked as if fifty years and a half of the filth ago they had been a pale cream. It was a single room, though Ryn described it as a loft apartment when talking to her family back home; she thought it sounded better to say that than calling it as it really was. Now looking at it though, Ryn couldn't understand why for the life of her had she agreed to stay in this part of Boston.

There was a small tiled area in one corner of the room with a drain in the middle of it and a leaky faucet spouting out of the side of the building. Beside this was a toilet and a tiny sink with bad rust stains and on which the hot water didn't work. This makeshift bathroom was surrounded by a black screen that served as a some sort of a means at privacy. The north wall wasn't really a wall at all, not in the sense of solidity, but rather it was completely covered it windows that looked down into the busy street and alley below. It was on this wall that a row of dark cabinets with stained white Formica countertops, an old gas stove, and refrigerator stood. In addition to this was a blue laminate-topped card table with four mix-matched chairs that served as the dining room table, as well as a separation of the "kitchen" from the "living room/bedroom". To complete the room was a worn blue plaid sofabed, a low coffee table, a small set of drawers for storage, and an old television set that was placed on a rickety wicker table.

With a soft chuckle to herself and a shake of her tousled dark curls, she frowned at her own question. She knew exactly why she had agreed to stay in "ghetto-ville"; she needed this job, and she couldn't afford to let her cover as a P.I. get blown to shit on the technicality of her staying somewhere else instead.

No, this place would just have to do until the job was done. Hell, with some pictures on the wall, maybe a new throw rug, and some candles the place might even look halfway hospitable. Well, one could always hope right?!

Looking down at the silver and red Fossil watch that her brother had gotten her two years ago for Christmas, Ryn noticed the hands said it was only 3:30.

Damn. She had to meet her contact person at a quarter after five. What the fuck was she supposed to do until then. She could use a drink that was for sure. Hadn't she seen a little Irish pub not a block away from the apartment? She could swing in there, get a drink, settle her nerves before her meeting, and perhaps even get to meet some of the locals of the area, and all before 5:15.

Glancing up at herself in the cracked mirror that hung against the wall with the shower on it, Ryn let out a loud sigh. Obviously moving in and dusting the odd piece of furniture here and there could take its toll on a girl's looks. She looked awful, that much she knew from the pathetic excuse for a mirror that winked her image back at her from its banged up exterior. Well, she had time for a quick shower, and hell she might even get to put on some makeup for a change.

It was 4:13 on the dot, when Ryn stepped out of her building and into the cold Boston air. Her hair was still slightly damp and curling wildly about her face, the curls' dampness only causing her to shiver more in the cold. Pulling her bright blue pea coat tighter about her curvy frame, Ryn braced herself against the biting cold that nipped at her face as she tugged on a gray toboggan and tucked her hair inside. Well, hadn't she always wished for colder winters as a child growing up in South Carolina, and then later on as an adult in Savannah. It seemed now she had a cold enough winter to satisfy her wish.

She could see the bar ahead of her, and she for once was extremely glad to see the dim glow of an Irish pub, even more so than usual that is. Running to reach her destination, Ryn pushed the heavy wood and glass door open and stepped into the welcoming haze of cigarette smoke and bad lighting. "Ahh", she thought, "now this is more like it. Not like those sorry excuses for an Irish bar back home".

Taking off her coat slowly Ryn, was about to make her way to the bar, when a cold shot of air ruffled her shirt and crept through the warmth of her blue jeans. Someone had come in the bar, and in a haste too. Before she could even step out of the way though, she felt herself falling to the floor, along with a heavy, black clad figure.

"What the fuck man? Don't ye fucking know that ye're not supposed to stand in a doorway like that?"

Her face pushed hard to the floor as the body struggled to get from off her back, Ryn looked back over her shoulder as she felt the anger well up inside her.

"First off, I'm not a fucking man. And second off, don't you fucking know that you shouldn't come barging in a door like a bat out of hell, on the slight chance that somebody might be standing near it…jackass."

The man stopped in his struggles as he lay motionless on her, before scrambling hastily to his feet and extending his hand to help her up.

"Christ, ma'am. I'm fucking sorry. I'm Murphy, by the way".

The voice sounded genuinely sorry, but Ryn was a natural hothead. 'Why the hell does this bastard think I want to know his damn name for', she silently fumed. As she felt herself being pulled up though and actually getting a chance to look at the 'bastard', she saw that getting to know him in any way, shape, or form might not be such a bad thing.

"Rr..Ryn", she stuttered out, her hand still firmly clasped in his. Looking down, she noticed a tattoo on his hand that followed his index finger. Aequitas. Ryn just stared at the hand.

"I got that years ago", he said in response to her stare. "It means…"

Ryn cut him to the quick, "Justice", she said, looking up at him sheepishly for interrupting.

Giving her a lopsided grin and a quick nod, Murphy pulled her along towards the partially empty bar.

"Hey McGinty, ye have a new customer here, and from the way she tripped up over her own name, she might have the same problem as ye do."

"Fuck…Ass. Mm--Murphy ye bastard. Si-siitt dow-wwnn, and leave the pp..poor lass alone."

Murphy gave a chuckle, " Yeah, yeah; and don't ye cross the road if ye cant stay out of the kitchen!"

A odd look crossed Ryn's features, " I think that you mean…", she began to say before she was interrupted by a husky Irish voice.

"And always remember that glass houses sink ships."

By this point, Ryn was beginning to definitely feel like an outsider on an inside joke.

Turning partially around on the barstool she now occupied, Ryn could see the outline of a long, lean man dressed in dark getup, almost identical to the Irish bastard beside her, making his way towards the bar.

"Ay, there ye are", Murphy said to the man, as he lowered the glass of Guinness he had just been given from his lips. "Where the fuck have ye been? Da has been callin' all day for ye. Said some shyte about having to talk to us 'bout home or something."

"I had some business to take care of. Christ, can't a man have a life around here without you and Da worryin' so. I swear Murphy, the way ye worry like a girl so much, I wonder if maybe Ma should have named ye Mary instead."

The chilled glass of beer was set slowly down on the counter, before its owner hurled himself from off the barstool and onto the man.

Murphy's legs shot out as they curled around the man's longer ones. Turning quickly to the left, Murphy brought the man's legs out from under him, causing him to fall hard to the cold, wooden bar floor. Taking the advantage of higher ground, Murphy jumped on top of the man, as he playfully slapped the man's head.

"This time ye gotta say two things", Murphy said triumphantly, a crooked, boyish grin on his face, "One, ye're sorry for that whole Mary shyte. And two, that I'm the older twin."

The man's tan face was flushed with amusement.

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry."

Murphy looked down at the pinned man, one dark eyebrow arched high over his blue eyes. "And…", he said expectantly.

The man quickly lifted his upper body off from the floor, as his legs swung over Murphy's head and crossed together, pushing Murphy's chest flat to the floor in turn. Now, it was the blond man who had the upper hand. He was obviously, Ryn thought silently, Murphy's brother. His twin brother at that.

"Now, now…looks like ye'll be the one saying that second bit, …Mary."

Murphy looked up at Ryn with an infectious grin, "How 'bout some fuckin' help here Ryn".

The blonde man looked up quickly, "Ryn, now is it?" Turning back to his brother, he grinned. "And who might Ryn be Murph, hmmm?"

"Why the fuck don't ye ask her yerself, Conn", was the reply he got.

Connor got up slowly off of his brother, pulling him up along too. "Ye're lucky this time, yer arse would still be down there on the floor, telling me how I'm the older twin, if I weren't so damned curious about her."

"Yeah right, just go sit the fuck down why don't ye. And stop talkin' 'bout the lass as if she weren't here."

Ryn just gawked at the two. My lord they were cute, she thought. And, they were pretty damn funny too.

"Ryn", Murphy said, drawing her from her daydreams, "this here is me twin brother Connor McManus. Conn, this is Ms. Ryn…".

Murphy broke off suddenly, and looked at Ryn expectantly, obviously waiting for her to fill in the blank of her last name.

"McAllister", she said.

"Aye, McAllister is it", Connor asked mischievously, cutting Murphy off from saying any more. "That sounds like an Irish name, if ye ask me Murph."

Ryn grinned at Connor, tossing her black curls back as she let out a laugh. "Well, it's Irish by decent. My great-grandfather was from Ireland. We're all true Southerners now though."

Murphy gazed at Ryn with a look on his face that she couldn't quite discern. Surprise? Curiosity? Maybe even attraction?

"Well now, is that so?! Once Irish, always fuckin' Irish is me rule! What part of Ireland was yer Gran'da from", Connor asked as he threw back a shot of Irish whiskey.

"He was from the county of Ulster."

Murphy shot Connor a look that was barely seen by Ryn.

"Ulster, you say", was all that Murphy said.

Ryn let out a sigh, "What is with you two? Do you have to flippin' repeat everything I say? Christ, its like being in a bar with two parrots".

"Oi Ryn, that's what the McManus twins do best ye know."

"Yeah", Connor chimed in, "we like to get inside one's head. Mess with it a wee bit".

Ryn just laughed at the two of them, it seemed that was about all she had done since walking into the pub. Well, at least now she was at ease for her appointment with her contact.

Oh shit! Her contact! What time was it?

Glancing down at her watch, Ryn saw that it was already going on five. Shit, shit, shit! She still had to make it down to the rendezvous point too. Standing up abruptly, Ryn turned towards the twins.

"I am sorry to just leave like this, but I have a business appointment that I have to be getting to. And I am already on the verge of being late for it."

Pulling her sapphire-colored coat back on, Ryn said, "It was great to meet both of you. If you guys are going to still be here after eight then I might catch you. I'm sure that after this meeting, I will definitely be wanting a drink".

Connor nodded his head, before adding, "Aye, we will be here. McGinty's on an Friday night, well what the fuck else is there to do".

Murphy didn't say anything, he just stood up and nodded towards the door. Ryn assumed he meant to walk her to the door, or something like that. Sure enough, he pulled on his wool coat and followed her outside.

Once out the door, he pulled a cigarette from the pack, before lighting it and letting it dangle from between his lips as he spoke.

"Like Connor said, we will be here when ye get done with yer meeting."

He seemed to Ryn as if he wanted to say something else, but hesitated. The tension was growing in the cold between them, causing Ryn to jump forward and take action. "I'll see you after eight then Murphy. You had so better buy me a drink tonight", she said with a wink before turning to walk briskly down the street and away from McGinty's pub.


	2. Chapter 2: Bar fights and Drunken Kisses

_**Disclaimer: As before, I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!**_

_**I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters. **_

_**I do not intend to rip off any other writer, therefore if this premise has been done before, I'm sorry, this is unintentional!**_

_**WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!**_

_**One thing to clear up, I listed that this story was set in 2003 and that is was 5 years after the movie. Clearly, I'm a writer and not a mathematician. Yes, it is only four years later, but soon to be five since it is the end of 2003, going on 2004. Sorry if I had anyone scratching their heads over that one. :D**_

_**Sainthood **_

_Chapter 2: Bar fights and Drunken Kisses_

'_She's late', Silas Martin thought angrily. _

_Silas was a cop for the local South Boston precinct. He was also Ryn McAllister's contact, and she was late. _

_A haze of bright blue ran past the diner window, and came breezily into the semi-empty dining room. _

_Silas' hazel eyes locked with violet blue ones. 'Well', he thought to himself, 'at least this newest contact is easier on the eyes than the last one. Although, that wasn't saying much, the last contact had been an overweight, balding man in his late fifties'. _

_Throwing up his hand in greeting, Silas motioned Ryn over to the empty booth in front of him. _

_Ryn crossed the black and white tiled floor, and slid into the tattered black vinyl seat. _

"_Hello Mr. Martin."_

_Silas nodded at Ryn, "Please call me Silas. After all, we will be working together from now on". _

_Ryn smiled across the table at the man. She hated to inform him, but she was a loner when it came to cases. If she didn't need to register in with the local police to guarantee sanction, she sure as hell wouldn't. She was also pretty sure that any information Silas Martin had to give her, she had already obtained on her own months ago. _

"_Of course,… Silas. Now what's this about some important info you have for me", Ryn said as she looked over the menu, debating on which one of the artery clogging, heart attacks on a plate she was going to order._

_Silas took a long sip of his coffee, as he pushed his own menu away from him. _

"_Well", he said with a slow pause, "I am not sure that I would necessarily call it important, maybe more like background information. Although, to be honest with you, you probably already have the majority of this stuff in a file somewhere". _

_He took from a case at his side a manila folder and slid it across the counter to her. _

_Ryn took just a short peek at the stuff inside. Yep, she already knew this about the "Saints". She had investigated them on her own back in June when the killings and mass hysteria caused by a new cult group called the "Guardians" had started in Savannah. She had been one of the first ones, who placed any kind of connection between the two groups, long before the Guardians even revealed their so-called connection with the South Boston Saints. Well, she and her cousin/fellow private investigator/business partner made the connection that is._

_Ryn's cousin Ayden McAllister was three years older than herself, and she was the main reason Ryn had become a P.I. It was Ayden who started the "Aequitas Veritas: PI" straight out of Notre Dame. It was Ayden who had convinced a young, anthropology major with no job prospects to work on at the firm, as a temp to see how she liked it. And, it was Ryn, who after only one week as a private investigator saw how much she loved the job. No, it didn't have anything to do with anthropology, nor did her concentration in Irish Studies come in to play very often. But, it did give her a sense of strength and control, at least in most situations that is. _

_Ryn looked back up at Silas. "You were right, I have this already about the Saints. But thanks anyway Silas. Anything else you can manage to dig up on them, well, it would be pretty damn useful. I know that our motives for finding the Saints may be different, but the fact remains that we both need to find them to solve unsolved murders."_

_Silas smiled at her then, his warm honey brown eyes crinkling in the corners. He was cute, Ryn thought, in a brotherly kind of way. And, he did seem to want to help her out, which was more than she could say for most of the police contacts she had worked with before._

"_Now", Ryn said with a grin of her own, "how 'bout we forget about work for a while, and enjoy our fine four course meal in this amazing five star restaurant". _

_Silas let out a snort, and rolled his eyes at her sarcasm as he looked down at the greasy cheeseburger and onion rings that the waitress had just put in front of him. Damn, the force needed to pick a new place to meet contacts. If he kept coming here, at the rate he was going he would have a gut the size of Texas by this time next year. But then again, the food was good, even if just looking at it caused you to mentally see your own arteries clogging. _

_Ryn had enjoyed the rest of her meal with Silas, and had set up another meeting with him for two weeks later. He said he was working on some leads, and that he should have all of them, or at least the most plausible ones worked out by then. He slipped Ryn his card with his cell phone and home number on it, and told her to call him anytime between now and then if she needed him for anything. After all, that was part of his job as her contact person he said with a cute wink that was too good-natured to be considered by Ryn as flirtatious. _

_It was now almost seven, and her cab had just pulled up to her building. Thanking the driver, and paying him the amount on the meter, Ryn got out of the car and headed up the three flights of stairs to her pitiful little room. _

_She had just at an hour, Ryn thought silently, to make her self "bar-ready" and get to the pub by eight. She hoped the McManus twins were still there as promised, especially Murphy. Letting out a groan, Ryn could see the dark haired man in her mind's eye. Oh my lord, he was hot. And tonight, well Ryn McAllister would be just as fucking hot, if not hotter she thought with a sly grin. _

_The cold night air nipped at the part of Ryn's legs that weren't either covered by the ridiculously short blue-jean miniskirt or the thigh high black leather boots. She had decided against the blood red halter top which she had had since college, thinking that looking hot was one thing looking slutty was another. Instead she opted for a white button up shirt with a black cami underneath it. Silver jewelry, a black and silver belt, and a black leather bomber jacket completed her look. Her long curly hair had been washed again, but instead of letting it curl as usual, Ryn had decided to straighten it. It now hung halfway down her back, sleek and shiny. Her big blue eyes were rimmed heavily with black eyeliner and dark eye shadow. Pale glossy lipstick finished her off. Ryn knew as she walked towards the pub, that she was looking good tonight. And the stares from the patrons standing outside only confirmed it for her. _

_The familiarity of cigarette smoke and dim lighting from this afternoon hit Ryn again as she entered the bar. The pub was packed full of people, mainly Irish men from the surrounding South Boston area. But they were many women as well, crowded in among the rowdy group. The noise level was crazy, causing Ryn's ears to begin that strange muffled ringing that usually happens to people upon entering a bar or club. A classic 80's rock hit played even louder than the din of voices. Ryn recognized it immediately as an old Scorpions hit, "Rock you like a Hurricane". What a fitting song, she thought ironically. Her eyes scanned the packed room for some sign of the twins from this afternoon. She didn't have to search hard. Ryn could see Connor's blond, messy spiked hair above the crowd. He was sitting at the bar, talking to McGinty himself. But, as luck would have it, there was no sign of Murphy in sight. Walking towards Connor, Ryn tapped him lightly on the shoulder, before moving in closer to the small space between him and a red-headed man on the stool beside him. _

"_Hi ya", she said with her best attempt at a sultry smile. _

_It obviously didn't work. Connor just stared long and hard at her, before breaking out into a hearty laugh. _

"_Well now! Ryn. How are ye? Ye sure look different than ye did this afternoon. My ass of a brother just went outside to look for ye." _

_Connor had just shooed the red-haired man from the barstool next to him, and was telling McGinty to take the lady's order and add it to his and Murphy's already growing bar tab, when Murphy came walking up. _

"_Jaysus fuckin christ!", he swore loudly, not noticing Ryn seated on the stool next to his brother. "I thought the girl said she was gonna be here at eight o'clock. What the fuck time is it now, past eight fuckin o'clock that's what time it is". _

_Ryn cleared her throat loudly, causing Murphy to turn around. _

"_What the fuck do ye want", he half yelled, before stopping suddenly as recognition flooded his features. _

"_Just so you know, I was here at eight. Like I said I would be. And, as I also said this afternoon, I definitely need a drink. So how's about you buy me one?", she said with a crooked grin at his open mouth. _

_Connor laughed, "Close yer fuckin mouth Mary, or the flies will start a gatherin". _

_Murphy shot his brother a half annoyed, half 'I'm so gonna kick your ass when we get home' look. _

"_Ryn", he quickly recovered. "I didn't notice ye there. With ye're hair all straight."_

_Ryn reached up to smooth her almost black hair, before tossing it over her shoulders. It was a bad habit of hers; Ayden had always joked about her being OCD when it came to her hair. "If you're telling me that it looks good, then thanks Murphy", she said. _

"_Aye, it looks good on ye", Connor spoke up. _

_Murphy just continued to stare, before saying, "I like the curls". _

_Ryn glared at him, what the hell? She had gone to all this trouble to look hot for the man, and all he could say was that he liked the curls? _

_Murphy must have sensed the meaning behind her glare, because he quickly added, "How about that drink I promised ye?"._

_Ryn decided against a WWIII with Murphy and ordered a beer, enduring the look of pure horror on the twins' faces when she asked that it be a Bud Light. _

"_Are ye fuckin kidding me Ryn", Murphy said with a pained expression on his face. "I know ye are a girl and all, but ordering that kind of shyte in an Irish pub is like a spit in me eye."_

"_I happen to like Bud Light thank you very much. Besides, I am from the South. Hicks like us down there thrive on this kind of "shyte", as you call it". _

"_Conn, you aren't just gonna let her get away with this are ye."_

_Connor just shrugged his shoulders with a bright grin on his face and ordered another Guinness for himself and Murphy. "Here have another beer Murph, and let the lass drink whatever the fuck she wants." . _

_Murphy grabbed his beer huffily, causing half of its contents to splash out over the rim and down the front of his white t-shirt. _

"_Fuckin christ!"_

"_Eh, Lord's fuckin name", Connor yelled at him before taking his beer and walking off in the direction of the pool tables with a smirk on his face. _

"_Aye, yeah yeah. Just help me clean this shyte off me will ya", Murphy said with a look at Ryn. _

"_Me?", she asked with raised eyebrows, "who the hell do you think I am?"._

_Murphy laughed at her, "I think ye're the girl who is gonna help me clean me shirt". _

_Ryn frowned at the spreading stain. "That's not going to come out of that shirt you know, unless you soak it ASAP."_

_Reaching up, Murphy began to peel the wet, clingy tee from his body._

"_Oh my gawd. What the hell are you doing", Ryn said in a high-pitched squeak. _

"_What the fuck does it look like I am doing? I'm taking me shirt off, so it can soak like ye said."_

_Ryn shook her head, "You can't just walk around a bar with no shirt on. The owner probably wouldn't appreciate that very much"._

"_Oi, McGinty", Murphy said with his shirt raised in his hand. "Can I walk around ye pub with no shirt on while I get the beer off this one?"._

"_I don't g-g-g gi-give a fuck M-mm- Murphy. Fuck! Ass!"._

_Murphy turned back to Ryn with a cocked eyebrow. "Problem solved. Now, come to the back room and help me wash this thing". _

_Ryn just looked at him, my lord he was not only hot but he was absolutely bonkers too. _

_Murphy began walking to the room located behind the bar, turning back to look at Ryn still perched on her barstool. "Well, what the fuck are ye waiting for? Hurry the fuck up, and help me will ya."_

_Ryn slid from the stool with her empty beer bottle, tossing it in the trash on her way to the backroom. _

_Murphy was standing at a utility sink, running water and lathering up the stain on his shirt with a bar of strong smelling soap by the time she got back there. Walking up slowly behind him, she watched his shoulders bunch as he worked the soap into a rich lather on the shirt. Ryn reached her hands around him and pulled the shirt in question from his hands. "Doesn't look like you needed my help so much after all", she said as she continued to work the lather into the shirt. _

_Murphy's wet fingers still held onto the other end of the shirt. He hadn't moved yet. _

_Ryn cast her eyes towards the floor, her long lashes lying against her flushed cheeks. _

_Murphy slowly moved his hands to her face, their wetness causing a cold chill to run down her back. _

"_Ryn…" he said softly. _

"_What the fuck are ye doing?". _

_Murphy jumped back as Ryn dropped the stained shirt into the sink. _

_Connor stood in the doorway with a look of surprise, and humor on his handsome face. _

_Murphy looked back at Ryn before saying, "Nothing", and walking out the door. Passing by his brother, he stopped for a second, whispering in a barely audible voice, "Nice fuckin timin' Connor". _

_Ryn stayed in the backroom for another good fifteen minutes or more after Murphy and Connor left. What the hell had she been thinking? She had just met Murphy this afternoon. And yet, just minutes ago they had both been about to…to…, christ, Ryn thought. Who knows what the fuck they would have done if Connor hadn't of interrupted. Walking back out to into the pub, she noticed that it was considerably quieter than before, and less occupied. That isn't to say though that it still wasn't loud and crowded, because it was. It was just not quite so bad. Ryn also noticed that her legs were still shaky and that her breath was still just as ragged as it had been when Murphy's long, wet fingers had touched the side of her face. She didn't know exactly how to forget about it except through one way: alcohol. Ryn made her way to the bar, settled onto an empty stool, and threw up her hand to hail McGinty for a drink. _

_It was after her first of screwdriver that Ryn's mood began to improve. By her second of Jack and Coke combos, she began to giggle loudly and call for more drinks. After one more solitary beer, she was asked to join a drinking game of "Quarters" with the red-headed bar patron from earlier in the evening and three of his male friends. The men had decided on penalty shots of Irish Whiskey, and Ryn had agreed. But, after having missed three quarter shots in a row, making two, and missing three more, Ryn was beginning to finally think that maybe she should slow down, if not all together stop with the drinks for a while. _

"_What the fuck?", the red-headed man, whose name was Brett, said loudly when she informed him that she no longer wanted to play. "You can't just back out of a game. Besides, you promised me a dance", he said with a sly wink and a lewd smirk on his hard features. _

_Ryn shook her head, "No, …no. I don't think I can even walk very straight right now, much less dance with you. I'm sorry". _

_She had begun to walk away when she felt his clammy hands close around her wrist and pull her sharply towards him. _

"_A promise is a fucking promise", he said with a vulgar gesture to his friends, who in turn laughed chauvinistically at Ryn's helpless, drunken state. _

_His lips came down on hers harshly, as his hands moved to grab her ass. He stunk of stale smoke, and even staler alcohol. _

_Ryn slapped at his face, but was pushed hard against a wall with her hands held at her side by his. She felt defenseless, but she wasn't. She bit down as hard as she could on his roaming lips, causing him to jerk back in pain as his hand went to smear the blood that she had managed to draw. _

"_Why you stupid, fucking little bitch!"_

_The man's hand reached back before contacting with the side of her face in a slap, that sent her to the floor. _

_He loomed over her, looking down at her pitilessly. Ryn covered her face with her hands, waiting for those hard hands of his to reach the other side of her face. But it never came. She heard a crash, followed by a loud grunt. Opening her eyes cautiously, Ryn saw Brett sprawled out on the floor, a thin stream of blood running down the side of his face from the smashed bottle that had obviously hit him there just a second before. Murphy and Connor both stood in front of her with their backs to her face. The man's friends began to throw up their hands and stutter something about never have letting it go too far. And, that Brett was his own man, and they couldn't stop him when it came to women. _

"_All of ye get the fuck out of here, and never fuckin come back. And maybe, while ye are out there, ye could learn how to fuckin treat a woman."_

_The words belonged to Connor Ryn knew. _

_Murphy just stood there, clenching and unclenching his fist slowly, his eyes staring unwaveringly at the men before he too spoke. _

"_If any of ye ever come near her again. I swear to fuckin christ, I will kill ye. Do I make meself understood", he said as he pointed a menacing finger at the lot. The men all nodded, even now conscious Brett who was being helped up from off the floor by his friends. _

_Murphy looked at Connor, who in turn nodded back. _

"_But that doesn't mean we aren't going to kick ye're asses now", Murphy said before his fist reached the nose of one of the men's faces in a sickening crunch. _

_All hell broke loose then. Connor and Murphy were outnumbered four to two, but it didn't matter, the twins were literally beating the shit out of the others. Bottles flew from behind Murphy's head, and were launched at two of the men. _

_Connor was in the middle of a brawl, when Brett came from behind. His fist met Connor's eye. _

"_Eh", Connor yelled, "What the fuck, ye sneaky bastard! Jumpin a man from behind. But what more can I expect from a man who hits on women". _

_Connor, whose eye was already starting to bruise and swell, sent three good punches to Brett's gut, which left the man in a heap on floor once again. _

_Murphy had taken down two men of his own. Which left one scared looking fuck to face the brothers together. The man, whose face was already colored by a black eye, a busted lip, and a bloody nose, gathered up as much courage as possible and charged the twins from across the room. It was a stupid move on his part. He met with the full force of double fists and was sent sprawling back across the room where he had come. _

"_Grr- gr-great", McGinty said, looking around at the mess that littered his pub floor. "Jus-jus- just what I needed."_

_Connor grinned up at the bar owner, "Well, ye knew it wouldn't be a Friday night at ye're pub without at least one good fight". _

_McGinty just shook his head and motioned for the remaining bar patrons to help with cleanup. _

_Ryn was still seated on the floor, her vision blurred by the steady stream of tears that fell from her eyes. _

"_Ryn", her name was called softly. _

_Wiping hastily at her eyes with the back of hand, Ryn turned towards the voice to see Murphy walking slowly towards her. Crouching down low in front of her, Murphy placed one hand comfortingly on Ryn's knee, and the other one he smoothed over her bruised cheekbone. _

"_He hit me", Ryn said in a hiccup-y voice. _

_Murphy just continued to stroke her face and hair. "Aye, I know he did. But its over with, ye're gonna be fine."_

_A sob escaped from her lips. "I was drunk", she said. _

_Murphy laughed at her gently, "I think ye still are. How 'bout we leave and get ye home, aye". _

_Ryn nodded, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. _

"_Conn", Murphy said to his brother who was busy sweeping broken glass off the floor. "I'm gonna walk Ryn home, make sure she gets there alright."_

_Connor nodded to his brother and continued to sweep the floor, muttering under his breath the whole time about his luck. He got to sweep the floor, while Murphy got to take the girl home; what the fuck was the world coming to. _

_Murphy pulled Ryn's hand through his, and laced his long fingers with hers. Once outside, Ryn shivered involuntarily at the biting cold. _

"_Ye cold", Murphy asked as he drew her body closer to the warmth of his, and wrapped his arm companionably over her shoulders. _

_Ryn nodded her head, but said nothing. _

"_Ye have to stop doing that. Just noddin' ye're head, it would be nice to hear ye're voice once in a while."_

_Ryn laughed softly, "I'm a little cold, and pretty drunk, but I will be fine". _

_Murphy looked down into her violet-blue eyes, "Ye let me be the judge of that". _

_They had rounded the corner, and Ryn's decrepit building loomed up ahead. _

"_That's me", she pointed at the old structure. _

_Murphy raised his eyebrows. "That's where ye live?"_

"_Yeah. That old thing up there with the peeling red paint. That's where I live. On the third floor."_

_Murphy continued to look at her, as he pulled her along towards the building. _

"_Here, you'll need my key to get into the main door", Ryn began to say but stopped short when Murphy took a key from his own pocket. _

_He held the heavy metal door open for Ryn, all the while smiling at her with that boyish grin of his. _

_Ryn reached the third floor landing shortly after Murphy, who had taken the stairs two steps at a time. 'My gawd, he isn't even remotely out of breath', Ryn thought caustically. Her own breath was coming in short gasps, she needed to exercise more, plus she was drunker than shit and it had been tough to walk up the stairs straight. _

"_There ye are", Murphy said smirking at her huffing and puffing._

"_Oh shut up, Mr. 'I'm so athletic, I can run up three flights of stairs and not even bat an eye'."_

_This remark drew a chuckle from him, that Ryn decided to ignore as she stumbled past him towards her door. _

_Murphy's eyes widened, "This is where ye live?". _

_Ryn rolled her eyes, leaning against the door frame to steady herself, "Lord, Murphy. I thought we already established this."_

_Murphy shook his head. "No, no. I mean ye live here." He looked up and nodded at the crooked black 75 that stood against the door. He then turned to nod at apartment 73 across the hall._

_She looked at the door. "Um, yeah ok Murph. I know I am pretty drunk, but you must be a lil' tipsy yourself. I don't live in seventy-three." She banged on her door, "I live here in seventy-five". _

"_Aye, ye live there. And I live here", he said imitating her and banging on the other door, number 73. _

"_What?!" Ryn just stared at him._

_He laughed at her expression, "Small world huh". _

"_You could say that", she said as she slipped her key into the lock of her door, and opened it. _

_Reaching her hand in, she flicked on the switch to the light. Warm, bright yellow light filled the small empty space. _

"_Ah, home sweet home", she said to Murphy, who followed her inside. _

"_Its not so bad", he said with a hopeful look towards Ryn. _

_Ryn laughed hard, "And you are so full of shit Murphy McManus". _

_A look of hurt crossed his features. "Me, full of shyte?! Not on ye're fuckin life. I am a good Catholic boy, haven't ye heard."_

_Ryn fell onto the couch, laughing so hard that she had to grip her sides. The look on his face was hilarious. _

"_Aye, aye. Laugh at me will ya. Its not fuckin funny. I am being serious here." _

_Ryn threw up her hands, as she laughed even harder at him. _

_Murphy walked over to her. "C'mon. Get up. And quite ye're laughin." _

_He reached out to take the hand that she had outstretched. But instead of getting up, Ryn pulled Murphy down. He half fell over the coffee table, before landing hard on the sofa causing Ryn to laugh even more, each laugh intertwined with a hiccup. _

"_Oh my gawd", she said as tears had begun to stream down her face. "You are too damn funny. I don't know when I laughed this hard."_

"_Glad to fuckin oblige", Murphy said with a dry smile. _

_His hands reached out to wipe the tears from her face with the rough pads of his thumbs. Ryn's giggles died in her throat. _

"_Murphy." _

_The word sounded like a half-groan, half-whisper to Ryn's own ears. But to Murphy they sounded like the sweetest thing he had ever heard. Jaysus Christ, he had only known the woman barely twenty-four hours, and here he was mooning over her like a damn boy. _

_Everything from that moment on seem to be set in slow motion for them both. Murphy was barely aware of pulling her face closer to his, or of his lips meeting hers in a deep kiss. Nor was he aware that Ryn had stretched out fully on the couch and that he was laying directly on top of her. But, he was aware that if he didn't stop now, he didn't know for sure if he could stop later. So, it was with this realization that he pulled back from her kisses, gazing down at her half-closed eyes and kiss-swollen lips. _

"_Christ Ryn, ye are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen", he said, breathing heavily. _

_Ryn's fingers had curled through his dark hair, and now were idly stroking the brown locks softly. Her fingers left his hair, and trailed over his cheeks before stopping at his lips. She slowly played her fingers over the soft surface. _

_Murphy let out a sigh, and reached up to grab her hands and hold them in his, kissing each fingertip lightly. _

"_Too damn beautiful for ye're own good, and too damn drunk", he said as he shifted his weight off of her and began to rise from the couch._

_Ryn just watched him through heavy eyelids. He rummaged around in some of the unpacked boxes and pulled out a thick flannel blanket from one. He turned back to Ryn, situated the blanket over her curvy frame that lay sprawled on the couch, and kissed her lightly on her forehead. _

"_Close yer eyes", he said quietly before heading to the door and turning out the light. Opening the door, he stood in between the area of her doorway and the hall. The yellow light from the hallway glowed softly around his form, making him look like an angel to the sleepy, half-drunk Ryn. _

"_G'night Ryn", was all he said before the door was closed with a thud, and Ryn finally closed her eyes and surrendered to the sleep that was already claiming her. _


	3. Chapter 3: Unexpected Surprises

_**Disclaimer: As before, I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!**_

_**I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters. **_

_**I do not intend to rip off any other writer, therefore if this premise has been done before, I'm sorry, this is unintentional!**_

_**WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!**_

_**One thing to clear up, I listed that this story was set in 2003 and that is was 5 years after the movie. Clearly, I'm a writer and not a mathematician. Yes, it is only four years later, but soon to be five since it is the end of 2003, going on 2004. Sorry if I had anyone scratching their heads over that one. :D**_

_**Sainthood **_

_Chapter 3: Unexpected Surprises_

_Ayden McAllister sat in her silver Honda Accord, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles had begun to turn white. Her lightly tanned face was colored with a huge purple-greenish bruise that ran all the way from the left side of her forehead to just above her jaw. _

"_I have to leave", she thought to herself. "I have to leave tonight, or he'll kill me."_

_She picked up her bright green cell and hit number 2 on her speed dial, Ryn it glowed. _

_The phone rang five times, before going straight to her cousin's voicemail. Damn it Ryn, pick up your phone. She had been calling now for eight times in a row, and each time Ayden got the bubbly sound of her cousin's voice: "This is Ryn's phone. I can't answer it right now, obviously. Leave me a line after the beep, and I promise ya that I'll get back to ya." _

_Ayden threw the phone across the car and into the passenger seat. She had been debating whether to make the trip to Boston or not. She had no clothes, nothing. She couldn't go back to her apartment. He was there, or at least one of his friends would be there. Waiting for her. He had already surprised her before, that was how she had the nasty bruise on the side of her face now, as well as three bruised ribs. She wouldn't be stupid enough to let it happen again. Sighing loudly, she opened the car door and walked towards the bright glow of the airport. "Well, at least I don't have to go through baggage", she thought sarcastically. She made her way to the ticket counter, purchased the next non-stop flight to Boston, and went to the 24-hour bar to wait. By this time tomorrow, she would be safely hidden away in South Boston, and away from David Lewis for good. _

_It had been almost a week already since the twins had come into Ryn's life. And it had been almost a week since her sofa tango with Murphy. Neither had said a thing to the other about it, though Ryn had to admit to herself that she half wished he would do something. She felt as if she were constantly on eggshells around him. _

_She walked into McGinty's at three on the dot. She was now working at the pub on a regular basis and salary of nine dollars an hour. Ryn didn't think pouring drinks, or sweeping up after the occasional bar fight merited this much pay, but McGinty himself had insisted on it, so who was she to argue. _

"_Ah, there y-y-ye aa-arr-are Ryn!", McGinty said enthusiastically, as she took off her coat. Ryn thought the old man had a secret crush on her, but she laughed it off good-naturedly. Besides, she loved McGinty to death. _

"_Hello yourself Mac", Ryn said, using the nickname she had given him, as she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek._

"_Stealing more hearts, aye", came a familiar voice from behind her. _

_Ryn turned raised eyebrows towards Murphy, who stood just inside the doorway, snow covering his wool coat and hair. _

_She hadn't seen him in two days. It was as if he was avoiding her, although Connor insisted that his brother just had a lot of "shyte" going on as the manager of the meat-packing plant. _

_McGinty just stuttered something under his breath about lucky bastards who didn't even know it, before heading off in the direction of the supply room, leaving Ryn and Murphy alone in the quiet bar. _

_Ryn smiled softly at the picture he presented. He looked like a little boy. His cheeks and nose were bright red from the cold, and his unruly dark hair was powdered with soft snow. His blue eyes held hers intently, and Ryn's smile slowly faded into something different. _

"_I haven't seen you lately", she said. _

_Murphy's eyes still looked steadily at her. "Aye", he nodded. "I have been busy."_

_Ryn shook her head, "I heard. But that's not what I meant, and you damn well know it"._

_A loud sigh escaped his lips. "What do ye want of me Ryn? Just tell me, and I swear to christ I will try my damndest to do it. I cant read ye're fuckin mind though."_

_Ryn just blinked rapidly at his words. Although they were true, they were harsh, and they hurt her feelings. _

"_That's not fair", she said huskily, as her emotions began to get the best of her. _

_Another sigh, but this time instead of just standing there, Murphy crossed the room and pulled her in a tight embrace._

"_Aye, ye're right it wasn't. But, I mean it Ryn. I can't read ye're mind, and I don't intend to try either. Just tell me what ye want."_

_Ryn buried her head closer into the warmth of his chest. "I don't know", she said._

_Murphy grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "Ye do know what ye want. Yer just afraid to say it."_

_He was right, Ryn knew. She did know what she wanted. She wanted Murphy McManus, as crazy as it was. Yet, she didn't know if she could bring herself to admit it, at least not aloud, or to him._

"_I…I want", she faltered as his dark blue eyes bore into her. _

"_Aye", Murphy coaxed softly. _

_Ryn's eyes gazed almost pleadingly at him, as she inhaled the smell of him deeply. _

"_You", was all she said, but it was enough. Murphy captured her lips in a kiss that was just as deep, if not more so than the one from the other night. One hand caressed her face, while the other tangled in her hair as he pushed her head further into the kiss. _

_Ryn returned the favor, her own hand playing in his hair, as she smoothed a path back and forth over his torso and back with her other hand. _

"_Then I'm yers", Murphy whispered against her lips, causing her to shiver involuntarily at the sensation, and him to chuckle at her reaction. "Now, ye had better get to work, afore McGinty fires ye."_

_Ryn laughed loudly. "Yeah, ok sure. I can so see that happing now", she said facetiously. _

_Murphy rolled his eyes, and slapped at her butt playfully as she walked back to the bar. _

"_I'll see ye later tonight", he said suggestively as he waggled his eyebrows at her. _

_Ryn blushed, before blowing him a kiss and a wink. _

_Ayden stepped inside the apartment. Ryn had told her it was a loft when she had sent down the spare key, informing Ayden to come up there and use it anytime she needed to. After all, the space had been purchased by the PI company, and so technically it belonged to both of them now. Her eyes traveled around the one room, taking in the mismatched furnishings and drab walls. Heavens sake, Ryn was always one to get into "character", so to speak. But this…, this topped them all. _

_Throwing down the shopping bags that held a couple changes of clothes and toiletries on the coffee table, Ayden sunk onto the unmade sofa bed. Lord, she was tired, physically and emotionally. When Ryn had left for Boston a week ago, Ayden had no idea that she would be following so soon behind her. The tears began then. How had she managed to find that jackass David, and on top of that, how had she managed to fall in love with the bastard. He had been sweet though, at first. Loving and kind. He never had talked harshly with her, and he had never hurt her, at least not intentionally. He liked to play rough, but that was it. At least that was it, until two days ago when he had turned violent. He was one of them, and she had found out. But what was worse was that he knew she had found out. He came to her that night, pleading with her. Asking her to understand that what he did was for the good of Savannah; that it was for her. He told her that he couldn't live without her, that he loved her too much. And, that if he couldn't have her then no one would. That was when he snapped, and beat her. She had managed to reach the semi-automatic that was hidden between her mattress, and point it levelly at him as he was mid-swing. She had barely escaped that night, and she knew it. But now, she was safe. He couldn't find her. She could change her name, get Ryn to do the same. They would lie low in Boston, figuring out their next move in the case, piece everything together and then turn in their findings to the Savannah police, hell, she might even send it to the FBI. All these thoughts clouded up her mind, making her even more weary than when she had first lain down. It wasn't long before she was asleep, curled in a ball under a flannel blanket, her breath coming in uneven puffs as her dreams were filled with frightening images of a tall, well-muscled blond looming over her huddled figure._

_The bar was crowded that night, and Ryn stayed extra busy between filling pints and keeping Murphy from beating the shit out of any guy who even talked to her longer than a few seconds. Of all the guys she could have gone for, she had to go for the jealous type, Ryn thought wryly. But, looking at him sitting in a corner booth with Connor, Ryn realized just how much he may be worth it. She filled another two glasses of Guinness, and walked towards the two. _

_Connor was the first to look up, "Look at ye. Murph ye already have ye're wench trained to bring ye a beer without even askin for one. And, ye even trained her to bring me one as well". _

_Murphy just glared at his brother before informing him to shut the fuck up and drink his damn beer. Reaching up, he pulled Ryn into his lap with a warm, wet kiss. _

"_Mmm", Ryn murmured against his ear, "a girl could use to this."_

_Murphy ran a hand softly over her face before saying, "I sure hope so, cause I plan on keeping the girl"._

_She looked into his eyes suddenly. In their dark blue depths she saw no trace of humor, only the truth of his words, mingled with his desire for her. _

_Ryn could feel the tug on her heart, but she wasn't the type to believe in fairytales or love at first sight. "Don't make promises you can't keep", she said quietly, her own eyes confirming her fears to Murphy. _

_He continued to stroke her face gently. "Trust me", he said tenderly, as his eyes pleaded mentally for her understanding. _

"_I'm trying to, just be honest with me always and I will", she said. _

_He quirked her a crooked smile, and kissed her again, a soul-comforting kiss. _

_Ryn stood up quickly, "I have to get back to work. Or McGinty really will fire me", she said with a smile as she sauntered off. _

_Murphy just watched her as she walked away. She had told him to always be honest with her. He had to tell her tonight, before things went too far. He wanted her, but he didn't want to hurt her or himself for that matter. She had to know the truth about him, about the Saints. But, he was scared to tell her. He had been engaged once, a few years back to a girl named Sara. She had left him when she found out the truth, calling him a monster. Luckily, she had never gone to the police, nor did she put two and two together when it came to Connor being involved too. But, Ryn…well, Ryn wasn't Sara. She was different, stronger somehow. And again, if he did tell her and she still accepted him, maybe then, he could finally open up her heart more to him. _

_Connor saw the brooding, pensive look on his brother's face. As a brother he already sensed what might be going on in Murphy's head. As his twin, he knew it would involve him somehow too. _

"_Eh", he called loudly, pulling Murphy from his reveries. "Ye're going to tell her, aren't ye", he said more so than asked. _

_Murphy just nodded, "I have to Conn. But I won't tell her about ye, if ye don't want me to". _

_Connor shook his head, "I think that it's a wee bit late for that, don't ye. If ye tell her about yer part in the Saints. Well, then she is bound to figure out me part in it too. Ye have a smart lass there, ye do Murph", he said with a sly wink. _

"_I'm telling her tonight", Murphy said. _

_Connor's sandy-blond eyebrows shot up. "So soon, aye. Well, I suppose ye'll be needing the right kinda atmosphere, shall we say, to soften the blow". _

_Murphy looked at his brother suddenly, "What the fuck are ye proposin' Connor. I swear to christ, if ye are going on about that dumb shyte ye pulled with yer Lily two years ago, and tell me to break the news to her in the nude, then ye're fuckin mad, man". _

"_Oi, that would have worked to, if ye hadn't of showed up, laughin like a fool little leprechaun at me. But, no, that wasn't what I was goin' ta suggest. I thought maybe I could slip up to her apartment, set the mood ye know. Light a few candles ye know."_

_Murphy stared at his twin as if he had grown a third eye, before shaking his head. "No! No, I don't want her thinking I took her home to just fuck her Conn. With all that mood settin' shyte."_

"_She won't be thinking that."_

_Murphy cut his eyes hard at Connor. "Aye, ye think not? This coming from a man who has had so much fuckin luck himself in the love department."_

"_Laugh will ya. It'll help, just trust me. And if it doesn't, then ye can always blow out the blessed things."_

"_Fine, whatever. Do what ye fuckin wish. But, I swear to Jaysus if the lass tries to burn my ass with them candles yer lightin, yer gonna be fuckin sorry Conn. I make meself understood."_

_Connor just grinned and nodded his head, "Crystal. Now give me her keys will ya. And don't tell me ye haven't got 'em. I know she left her purse sitting with ye. Although", he said as he took the bright yellow and white striped pocketbook and dug inside for the keys, "ye may want to ask her if ye can borrow this purse. I think it looks real nice with yer outfit…, Mary". _

_He ducked out of line from the fist that was thrown his way, as he threw the purse back down on the booth seat with a laugh. _

"_Just give me an hour or so before ye show yer ass up with her. I don't really want to be caught in the middle of ye two ok."_

_Murphy frowned exasperatedly at his twin, "Just get the fuck outta here, will ya?". _

_Connor took the stairs to the third floor, his arms laden down with bags from the local supermarket. He reached Ryn's door, and pushed the tie-dye key into the lock. Nudging the door open with the toe of his black boot, Connor flipped on the overhead light, flooding the room with bright, unnatural light. _

"_What the fuck!"_

_A tousled auburn head popped up on the sofa-bed from under a thick flannel blanket. _

_The bags in Connor's arms dropped to the floor with a loud thud. _

"_Who the fuck are you", the red-head screamed. _

_Connor just stared open mouthed at the women before saying, "I could ask ye the same thing". _

_The woman's hand was inching towards something under her pillow, but Connor was quicker. He reached into the space between the back of his dark jeans and his back, and pulled out a chrome Glock. _

"_I hate to pull a gun on a lass, but I can see that ye have no qualms about pulling one on me." _

_Then as an added afterthought, "Don't make me have to use it". _

_Ayden's hand closed around the large-handled hunting knife her brother Richard had given her when she opened the PI business. She could remember the conversation between him as if it were just yesterday. "You'll be making some enemies you know. Here, just to be on the safe side", he said as he put the blade into her hand. _

_She had just stared at it, tears clouding up her olive green eyes. It was his favorite hunting knife, she had been with him many a time when he had used it. "Thank you", was all she could manage to say hoarsely. _

_She had never had to use it on anyone, but now she wondered would she have to employ its uses. Looking up into crystal clear blue eyes, she felt the strange impulse that she wouldn't. _

_Slowly, she pulled the knife out and held it up. "Actually", she said, "I wasn't pulling a gun on you…,obviously." _

_Connor stared at the huge knife. What the fuck was a woman doing with a knife like that? _

"_Who are ye? And, why are ye here? Do ye know Ryn?", he asked as he slipped the gun back into its hiding place, he didn't honestly feel that he had anything to worry from the woman. _

_Ayden nodded her head, "Ryn is my cousin. I came for a visit", she said weakly, turning to fully face him for the first time. _

"_Jaysus christ!", Connor swore loudly as he stepped over the bags in the floor, and walked quickly to the woman's side. _

_Touching her face gently, he pulled her chin up towards his face and the light. _

"_Who the fuck did this to ye?"_

_Ayden was held mesmerized by those serious eyes and handsome face. She didn't even hear his question, until she saw the expectation of an answer in his eyes. _

"_What…what did you say", she stammered. _

"_I asked who did this to ye."_

_Ayden shook her head dejectedly. "A man I thought I knew and loved." _

_Connor slowly let go of her face and just continued to gaze at her. She was beautiful, he thought silently. She had medium length auburn hair that hung straight and sleek. Her shape, from what he could see from underneath the blankets, was similar to Ryn's. Curvy and voluptuous in all the right places. Not too skinny, he didn't like stick girls, but not too fat either. Just right, he thought. Her skin was lightly tanned, more so than Ryn's. But the thing that caught his stare the most was her eyes. They were a strange green color. Not emerald and not dark green either, more like a olive-y jade color. And they were staring back hard at him. _

_Connor's breath caught in his throat for a second, before he cleared it loudly. _

"_Ye have to get outta here", he said, still caught up in her stare. _

"_What the hell", Ayden said loudly. "Who the fuck died and made you king. I will go when I fuckin please."_

_Connor swore under his breath, he hadn't meant to say it quite so bluntly. And now, he had the wrath of one very scary, yet very hot red-head to contend with. _

"_Look", he began, "I didn't mean it like that. Its just that me brother and yer cousin are on their way here now". He made a sweeping motion with his hands at the bags, "If ye get my drift". _

_Ayden pushed the covers from her with a groan. 'Damn it, I am so tired', she thought angrily, 'I don't have the patience for this shit". _

_Connor had gone to pick up the bags, when he stopped suddenly at the sight before him. Obviously this Ayden didn't remember what she had worn to bed, or she didn't care one. _

_He was staring at her long, bare legs, white tank top, and her green and white Lucky Charms underwear. Christ, the woman was practically naked. Not that Connor necessarily minded, but now wasn't the fuckin time. _

_Suddenly, the door behind him burst open. Murphy and Ryn came walking through, holding hands and laughing loudly. Murphy's other hand was wrapped passively around Ryn's waist. And, his eyes saw only her. _

_Ryn's eyes, however, were fixed on the scene in her apartment. Her cousin, and business partner, was standing in the middle of the floor, with nothing but a tank top and those damn leprechaun 'drawers' of hers on. Ryn wished to god she hadn't of bought the blessed things for the girl last Christmas. It was all she ever walked around the house back in Savannah anymore. _

"_Ayden", she said. "What are you doing…". Ryn's words died in her mouth as she spotted Connor, and as she took in the massive bruise on the side of her cousin's face. _

"_What the hell", she breathed, eyeing Connor suspiciously. She then noticed something even more disturbing. The huge hunting knife of Ayden's on the unmade bed and the glint of a highly polished gun gleaming from the back of Connor's waistband. _

_She looked back and forth between the two, before turning to Murphy and throwing up her hands at him. _

"_What the fuck is going on? Ayden?", she asked concern and fear tingeing her voice. _

_Ayden stepped towards her cousin. _

"_Its not as bad as it looks", she said, gesturing up towards the bruise. _

"_Not that bad!" Ryn yelled. "Ayden you have a bruise the size of Texas on the side of your face, and you're telling me that its not that bad". _

_Ayden looked down at the floor in embarrassment, Ryn was right, it was as bad as it looked, maybe even worse when she factored in how she got the bruise. _

"_Who did this to you?" Ryn asked, her anger growing more and more as she was meet with stony silence._

_Ryn looked back at Connor, who shrugged his shoulders. "Don't fuckin look at me, ye should know by now that I would never do that shyte to a woman. But good luck on findin' out who did do it, she hasn't parted her lips on that subject yet."_

_Ayden let out a frustrated sigh, "Look, I don't want to talk about it right this minute okay? Besides Ryn, we have guests and", she said motioning towards her bare legs and underwear, "I'm standing here in practically nothing"._

_Murphy cleared his throat, signaling Ryn's attention. Pulling her towards him, he said, _

"_Look, ye two obviously need yer time alone, to talk. Connor and I are gonna go. I will see ye tomorrow." He pulled her in closer and kissed her, "If ye need me, I am literally right across the hall", he murmured in the softness of her curls. Ryn wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him again, deeper this time. So deep in fact, that she forgot that Connor and Ayden were still standing in the apartment looking extremely uncomfortable at the moment. Ayden let out a strangled cough, and Ryn was suddenly pulled back down to earth by the sound of it. _

_Touching his cheek softly she said, "I know. Come by here first thing in the morning and we can all get some breakfast at that diner you have been telling me about. That is, if you and Connor want to". _

_Murphy just smiled at her and nodded his head, "Aye, that would be nice". With a quick kiss to her forehead and a whispered goodnight, he motioned for Connor to follow him out the door. _

_Connor looked at Ayden and smiled, " By the way, I love Lucky Charms". _

_Before she could reply to that comment, Connor had said his goodbye to Ryn and was out the door._

"_Ok Ayden, start explaining", Ryn said with her hands on her hips, and her foot tapping impatiently._

_Ayden flopped down on the sofabed and screamed in pain, forgetting that her ribs were bruised as well. She sat up and grabbed her sides as Ryn rushed over to comfort her and at the same time start the game of "20 questions" that Ayden knew was to follow. _

"_Who did this to you Ayden? Please, you have to tell me what happened!"_

"_Well it was not the guy that you kept staring at like you could kill him when you walked in the door so get that idea out of your head Ryn", Ayden said crossly. _

_Ryn shot her cousin an annoyed look, "No shit Sherlock, I think everyone has already established it wasn't Connor. But if it wasn't him, then who the hell was it", Ryn asked. _

"_It was David." _

_Ryn glared hard at Ayden, a look on her face that screamed she thought her cousin was insane. She knew David well, as did Ayden for that matter. He had gone to Notre Dame with them, and was a year younger than Ayden. He was smart, good-looking, wealthy, pleasant to be around. Everyone loved him, every girl wanted to date him. But he only wanted Ayden, from the day that he had met her for that matter. The David Lewis she knew would never have hurt Ayden. Ryn felt more confused now than ever. _

_Ayden silently thought to herself as she took in her cousin's bewildered face, 'Here comes question one'. _

"_Why…, why would David hit you Ayden? I mean, I just can't believe…"_

"_Well believe it", Ayden yelled hoarsely. "Damn it Ryn, why won't you just trust me. I know you don't think he would have done something like this", she said gesturing towards the bruise, "but he did. Ryn he's not who he used to be. He's…, he's", her voice faltered. _

_Ryn just continued to stare at her, "He's what Ayden?". _

"_I found out that he was over the Guardians, Ryn. I would have never thought that he could do anything like that, but like I said he's different. He has been for over a year now, I just didn't know what was going on. I thought he was having an affair…, it would have been easier if he had been." _

_Ayden ran a tired hand over her worn features, she was sleepy and needed to get some rest, but this story wasn't going to get any easier to tell tomorrow. _

"_He just snapped when I found out. Said that he still loved me though, and that I just had to accept it. He just couldn't live without me, and I wouldn't live without him, literally. I barely got out of the house alive. If my gun hadn't of been where I could have gotten to it, I would probably be dead now." _

_Tears streamed down Ayden's face as she told her cousin this. _

_Ryn shook her head. David was behind all the killings in Savannah?! This was too much to take in. Ryn loved David to death. He had been her best guy-friend in college, and on up into life after Notre Dame. Ayden had dated him for 5 years, and David had even talked with Ryn about proposing this Christmas. He had wanted her to help him pick out the perfect ring for Ayden. The more that Ryn thought about it, the angrier she got. She felt betrayed and she knew if she felt that way then she could just imagine how her cousin felt. _

"_Did you tell Uncle Larry?" Ryn asked. _

"_Hell no, are you crazy. I can't risk daddy being killed at the hands of the Guardians just because of my choice in men", Ayden yelled. _

"_Calm down, ok. I was just wondering if you had told anyone, that's all." _

_Ayden motioned at Ryn. "No one but you. I didn't no where else to go. Ryn, we have to stay here, at least for a while. I can't go back, he'll kill me for certain this time."_

"_Ayden", Ryn began with a worried look on her face. "Do they know where the rest of our family is back in South Carolina?"_

_A look of understanding passed across Ayden's face. "Oh my lord Ryn! I didn't even think about the rest of our family. They don't know yet. David never really was the one to talk about family, I guess because he never had one of his own. But Ryn, its only a matter of time before they do find out right? I have to call them", she said in a hurried voice. _

_Ryn reached out, took the phone from her cousin's hand, and stilled their trembling. "They will be alright until the morning I suppose. Besides, look what time it is. It would be way too late, or too early actually, to call them."_

_Ayden sunk back wearily into the couch. "I just want to get some sleep, its been a long day", she said through a yawn. "Plus, we have to get up so we can get ready and go eat in the morning and I really don't want to miss that cause I have not eaten anything in almost two days and I could really use the grub."_

_Ryn nodded her head. Tonight had sure been an interesting one. Scary, undeterminable, and full of unexpected surprises. _


	4. Chapter 4: Trust is Always an Issue

_1__st__ ) I am sorry this chapter took so long to put up, but I had to go back in and change it. I realized after re-reading chapter 4 for the hundredth time, that it had lost any trace of seriousness and had become mere fluff. I don't want a story where too many chapters are like this. Fluff is very fun to write, and sometimes even very fun to read, but fluff does not add to the overall storyline, hence why I re-wrote this chapter before posting it on here. _

_UPDATE: I just wanted to let those of you who are actually reading my story know a few things: _

_-I should be adding more chapters very, very soon!!_

_-Chapters will take a couple of days to get on here, and I promise that I will have at least a new chapter up by the end of every week; Saturday 12:00 Midnight. _

_-This is going to be a LONG story. It will be numerous chapters, I am thinking along the lines of 40 or so, maybe more. I am not sure yet, I will go where the story leads me. It will end when this part of the story is told. (yes, I did just hint at possible sequels/spin-offs. :D ) _

_-I ask that you please, please, please review the story if you are reading it. It really does help me to know what others are thinking about the story. I believe that the only way a writer can grow is through support AND constructive criticism. I also love seeing the reviews number go up too :D_

_(The next posting will not be a regular chapter. It will be instead background information on Ryn and Ayden. As well as, background info on the Guardians, David, and what has transpired in the twins' lives since the Yakavetta Trial until now. And the mystery of…Where is Da? Will be answered as well.)_

_All right, onto the legal business. _

_Disclaimer: As stated in the past three chapters, I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. I really wish I did, as I would love to be able to pull a personal Murphy or Connor McManus from out of my back pocket :D. _

_There is no copyright infringement intended, period, end of story!!_

_I do, however, own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-Boondock saints characters. _

_I love fanfiction, and the Boondock Saints, but I have not read every Boondock Saints fanfiction on here. So it is not my intention to rip off any other writer, therefore, if this premise has been done before, I'm sorry, this is unintentional! _

_WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received!! – but no flaming please!_

_**Sainthood**_

_Chapter 4: Trust is Always an Issue_

_Murphy couldn't sleep. He had meant to tell Ryn about him, about the Saints! But now, she was asleep in her apartment, with her visiting cousin. Swearing loudly, he stood up and made his way to the coffee pot for the fifth time straight in a row._

_Connor rose his head wearily from off his twin mattress that lay in the nearby corner. _

"_What the fuck Murph. Get to fuckin sleep, will ya?"_

_Murphy looked back at his brother, his face bearing an apologetic frown. _

"_Aye, I'm sorry Conn. It's just I'm worried about Ryn. About telling her, ye know. I should have done it tonight. I…", Murphy's voice just faded off, he was deep in thought and his coffee. _

_Connor sighed, and got up from the bed. "Look, ye'll never get any sleep drinking all this fucking shyte", he said, as he took the coffee cup from Murphy, and poured the rest of its contents down the drain. "And, worryin' bout what ye did and didn't say yet to yer girl isn't helping none either. There's always tomorrow Murph."_

_Putting his head in his hands, Murphy just sat still for a while, making Connor think his brother had fallen to sleep._

"_Murphy", he said, with a nudge of the dark-haired twin's arm. _

"_Mmm", Murphy said, his head shooting up and his eyes bloodshot. _

_Connor just looked at his brother wide-eyed for a minute, "Christ man, were ye fuckin cryin'?"_

_Murphy looked at his twin, appalled at the suggestion, "No, ye dumb fuck. I'm just fuckin' worried, and tired. Yer eyes would be red too". _

_Connor turned away, trying to hide the smirk on his face. Turning back to his brother, he said with a hand on his shoulder, "C'mon, lets just get some sleep, aye. Ye told yer Ryn that ye would meet her for breakfast in the morning, that is only a few hours away." _

_Murphy nodded his head, and got up slowly making his way towards his own bed. _

"_Besides", Connor said, stopping Murphy in his tracks, "Ye need yer beauty sleep, Mary". _

_Murphy picked up two empty beer cans from off the nearby table, and launched them simultaneously at his brother. "If I wasn't so damned tired, ye know I would kick yer ass for all this Mary shyte, aye", he said, as he flounced down on his bed, and pulled the cover up to where it almost covered his head. _

"_Yeah, yeah. I know. Yer so tough Mary", Connor said, his voice muffled by his pillow. _

_Murphy laughed, "Aye, I am. Just like yer little Rosie from the meat plant was". _

_Connor turned over noisily on his mattress, not saying anymore. Murphy laughed again, this time more to himself, 'Shut ye up, didn't it', he thought, as his mind finally surrendered to sleep. _

_Ayden turned uncertainly around on the lumpy sofabed. It was early morning, of that she was almost sure from the gray tinge that seeped in through the wall of windows. She had barely gotten two or three hours sleep all night; and when she did, she just kept replaying the scene of David standing over her, his eyes locked menacingly on her, his hand poised to strike. _

_Sitting up very slowly in the bed, so as to not wake Ryn, Ayden glanced across the room at the clock. 6:45am it glowed in an neon green. _

'_Damn', she thought, 'there is no point in laying back down, I might as well just go ahead, and take a shower, get it outta the way'. _

_Looking down at her cousin, Ayden laughed softly. So much for trying not to wake her, as if moving around in the bed would do it. Ryn was sleeping like a log, her mouth hanging wide open with a little pool of drool on the corner of her pillow._

_Getting up, she stepped towards the dingy, makeshift shower, and turned the handle all the way to hot. She wanted it as warm as possible, short of scalding that is. Unfortunately, all she got was a tepid lukewarm. _

"_Damn it Ryn, you and your ghetto-ass apartment", she screamed as the water turned from the bearable warm to freezing cold in the blink of an eye. _

_Ryn's tangled, curly head popped up. "Who, what, when, where…", she said huskily, sleep still clouding her eyes. _

_Ayden had just stepped out of the shower, cold rivulets of water streaming down her angry face, making her tanned skin turn a very unattractive splotchy red color. At the sight, Ryn just burst out laughing. _

"_Wakes you up doesn't it", she said, still giggling. _

_Ayden just cut her eyes at her cousin, and shot her the bird. This wasn't what she needed this morning. She was tired, and cranky, and very hungry. She was a curvy chick damn it, she needed food. And those airline peanuts and mini-bottles of alcohol she had on the plane were long gone by now. Walking over to the shopping bags that she had brought in last night, she hoisted them up and made her way back to the sofa. As she grabbed the bottom of the bags and dumped them out, she wished to god she had paid more attention to which ones she had picked up. The contents fell out on the couch in a jumbled mess. Ayden just stared at Ryn, her eyes as big as saucers. Her face was set in a blank stare, before it finally broke into a wide grin. Ryn's followed shortly. They both started laughing at the same time, tears pooling in their eyes as they clutched their sides. _

"_Where did this shit come from?", Ryn said wiping at her eyes with the corner of her t-shirt. _

"_I don't know" Ayden said. "Oh wait, what's his name…Chris…Craig…Connor.., yeah Connor. He brought a couple of bags with him when he came in last night."_

"_Why would Connor bring this stuff?", Ryn asked as she looked through the junk on the bed._

_The bags had contained numerous things that would obviously be used in a night of "fun". Things like candles, massage oils, a mixed CD, and the thing that really caught the girls attention, a box of XXL condoms._

"_Isn't it pretty obvious Ryn why he brought up all this stuff", Ayden chimed in, still chuckling softly. "This must have been why he wanted me to get out last night. So, you and your "baby cakes" could have some alone time, huh?"_

_Ryn glared at her cousin, "He's not my "baby cakes". I would never in a million years call any man that, especially Murphy McManus. Besides, I'm not so sure its like that just yet with the two of us". _

"_Hah", Ayden burst out loudly, "Not like that between ya'll, Ryn, are you 'effin crazy?! It's pretty obvious what it is and isn't like between you and that boy. Lord, I don't know when the last time was that I saw you this head over heels for a man". _

_Ryn just shook her head, "Look things are complicated with him. I mean yeah, sure, I like him and all. But, the thing is Ay, I don't really know him, if I am honest. That's what scares me the most. I mean, what if he comes up and tells me he is some crazy escaped con, or former psycho patient. Or worse, a polygamist from Utah, and he wants to make me his sixth wife". Ryn picked up the CD from the bed, and held it in her hands, looking at its blank cover, refusing to meet her cousin's eyes. _

_Ayden snatched the CD from out of Ryn's hands, "You are crazy Ryn! That boy has it bad for you, already. And, if you were honest with me, and with yourself, you would admit that you're pretty damn crazy for him too. He's no escaped con, he's definitely not mental, and I very seriously doubt that he has any wives lurking around in another state. Hell, he can hardly handle himself around just you, much less five other women. Look, you need to relax. Take things one step at a time, but I'm tellin you now Ryn, don't let another good guy slip past you. Its been years since you've actually let one in this close". _

_Ryn sighed, running a hand though her messy curls. She had always hated her hair in college, it had been such a pain in the ass. Messy, wild, and prone to frizz in wet weather. Why couldn't she have those perfectly sleek curls that all the women in trashy love novels had? They never had to get up, and ply it with fifty different bottles of product just to get it to look decent. She had always thought to herself, why couldn't the real world be like that…, that easy? Nowadays, she just let her hair do its thing. It wanted to be wild that day, she let it. It wanted to be messy, it was. Maybe that was how she should deal with Murphy. He wanted to talk to her that day, she'd give him her undivided attention. He wanted to just sit and not say a word, she'd understand. He wanted to open up to her and tell her that he lov… Again another sigh. _

_Ayden looked at her cousin, she was obviously debating through some things. Time was what she would need to sort her feelings out. Ryn wasn't a patient person, not by nature. But she had learned to be, had disciplined herself to be as a P.I. She would have to rely on that training now to hold her emotions in check, while her brain worked through the jumble of her heart. Looking down at the CD that still lay in her hand, Ayden walked over to the CD player and put it in. Now was not the time to lecture her cousin, and besides, she was just dying to know what Connor had put on the thing. Turning the volume up, Ayden backed away from the radio with the remote. _

_She didn't have to wait long for the mystery to be solved, or for the fun to begin; it began with number one: "Bump, Bump, Bump". The B2K song was just too much for Ayden to handle. The oils, the "gianormous" condoms, and now this. She threw her head back, her clear laugh ringing out, before being joined shortly by Ryn's throaty chuckles. At this point they were both laughing so hard, they didn't notice the door open, and the twins come walking quietly in. Murphy stood just inside the door, Connor peering over his shoulder at the sight. The song changed suddenly to a faster hip-hop song, and the sounds of "Freak-a-Leak" filled the small space. Ayden was still laughing hard, as Ryn jumped up from the sofa, and began dancing around in her bright pink underwear and faded gray Notre Dame tee. _

"_Lord", she said dancing crazily around, "you remember this song Ay? That wild college night at Club Maui? That dumb ass drunk Will, with his self-done bowl cut? He made a total jackass outta himself that night, and everybody on campus let him know it too", Ryn said with another laugh. The song was on the line "How you like it daddy", as she did a slow, dirty grind towards Ayden's direction, both girls wrapped up in giggles. Murphy couldn't stand it anymore. Walking up behind her, and wrapping his arms around her waist, he whispered in her ear, "Yeah, that's how daddy likes it". _

_Ryn let out a yelp. "I didn't hear you come in", she said with surprise, as she tugged at the ends of her t-shirt. _

_Murphy just laughed, "Obviously", he said, as he went in for a kiss. "Now", he said, breaking away from her, "who's this Will? And how wild was this night at yer Club…Maui ye say?". _

_Ryn grinned at him. "It was nothing; a long time ago. Don't you have things from long ago you don't really want known Murphy McManus", she asked with a sly wink. _

_The smile on his face slid away almost instantly. If she only knew, he thought. He did have things from his past, things from even today that he didn't want her to know, but yet things he had to tell her anyway. _

"_Ryn", he said quietly, his dark blues eyes boring into hers. "There is so much ye should know. Something I need to tell you, before ye get the wrong idea", he began to say, his eyes pleading with her understanding. _

_Ryn could sense his unease, something wasn't right. 'See', she thought to herself, 'This was why you didn't let guys in. They always had something…something they needed to say, something that almost never was any good. Christ, he was going to break it off. Break it off before it even began'. The thoughts flooded her mind. She could just tell it, from that strange glint in his eyes; it wasn't good. No! She wasn't going to be dropped on her ass, not like this. Not in her own apartment, with her cousin, and his fucking brother not two feet away. Not in just a t-shirt and underwear. Not on an empty stomach. No! If he wanted to call things off, he could do it like a man…over the damn phone. _

_Ryn placed a finger on his lips, quieting him. "Not now, okay", she said, harsher than intended. "Let's just go get something to eat like we planned. Ayden is fucking starving, and so am I to be honest."_

_Murphy let out a sigh. Another chance, come and gone. Nodding his head softly he said, "We'll be back in about an hour, okay. Ye need to get dressed". _

"_Yeah I do", she said with a slight smile, as she motioned towards her bare legs. "That is unless you want me going out in public like this."_

_Murphy laughed softly, pulling her closer to him, and laying a reassuring hand on the small of her back, "I wouldn't mind it so much, except for the fact that I would have to beat off the guys with a stick". Kissing her lightly on the forehead, he turned away, motioning for his brother, who was still standing at the door, to leave. _

"_Oh", he said, glancing back over his shoulder at her, "One more thing. Ye might want to lock yer door from now on. It was just us this time, but in South Boston, ye can never be too sure"._

_Ryn nodded, crossing the room as the door closed with a thud. Turning the lock, she laid her head against the doorframe with a weary sigh. _

_Ayden just stared at her cousin, not even bothering to say anything. She wasn't sure what had just happened between her and Murphy, but Ayden could sense that something was wrong with her cousin._

"_Will you cut that damn shit off", Ryn screamed, as she turned around angrily. _

_The radio was still blaring loud, and still playing a dirty hip-hop song. "Peaches and Cream", this time. _

_Ryn stalked irritably towards the shower, and disappeared behind the black screen. Her annoyed mumblings could be heard over the sudden noise of the shower. _

_Ayden hit the off button to the radio, and stood near the window wall, as she had nicknamed it, staring off into the South Boston skyline. This apartment may be pretty shitty, but the one thing it had going for it was the amazing view of the city, and the alley down below. One could directly see who came and left the building. The sky might be prettier, but the alley was more useful. But Ayden wasn't looking at the bright morning skyline right now. No, her eyes were distracted by the figure of a sharply dressed man in an unmarked police car. He had reddish-colored hair, middle-aged, and he carried himself like a cop. 'No, scratch that', Ayden thought, her years spent spying on people as a private eye, coming in handy, 'not a cop. Something more distinguished, like detective, or F.B.I.' What was a man like that doing in a neighborhood like this? Who the hell was he coming to visit? She didn't have to wait long. Two very familiar looking heads poked out of the door, and made their way towards the man. The twins. They nodded at each other in acknowledgement, before they all slid back into the car, away from prying eyes. Away from Ayden's prying eyes. _

_Ayden's hand shot to her mouth. What was going on here? Who exactly were the McManus brothers? Maybe Ryn was right. They really didn't know either one of these men, they could be in trouble with the law. Ayden shook her head. No, if that were the case why would a cop, or whatever part of law enforcement the man was, why would he be paying what looked like a visit, or social call to the men? Unless…, unless he was a dirty cop?! Again Ayden shook her head to herself. No, he didn't look like a dirty, per se. After the time she had spent in her line of work, she of all people knew a "dirty" when she saw one. Maybe the brothers were undercover, or private investigators, like her and Ryn. But both had very steady day jobs, from what Ryn had told her. One as the manager of a meat packing plant; the other as a rock climbing instructor at the local Y. What then? The door of the car suddenly swung back open; and the three reentered the alley. Murphy was saying something to the man, and shaking his head. Connor, on the other hand, was running a hand through his ever messy, yet still sexy hair, and glancing upwards. That's when he saw her. She had been standing in the wide-open; nothing to hide her from view. She knew he had seen her immediately. His soft gray blue eyes locking with her bright green ones. The surprise on his face was evident, but the look that followed it was truly the most stunning thing of all to Ayden. He didn't look mad, or even really scared for that matter. No, what he really looked like the most was…sad. Like he was disappointed. Disappointed? In what, with whom? Her…, himself? Ayden looked down quickly, unsure of what she had really seen, or how to respond to it. _

"_What are you looking at so hard?", Ryn's voice called, interrupting Ayden's thoughts. _

_Glancing up quickly, Ayden looked back out the window, neither the twins or the mysterious man in the black car were anywhere in sight. _

"_Nothing. Just daydreaming I suppose", she said, turning away from the windows to face her cousin. _

_Ryn's walked from behind the screen, this time dressed properly. Her dark curls damp and still just as wild as before. _

"_Yeah, umm ok. Sure was a lot of staring at something for it to be nothing", she said, as she looked over Ayden's shoulder out the window. _

_Ayden shook her head, "It was nothing. Look, just call that boy of your's, so we can go eat, alright?". _

_Ryn just looked hard at her cousin. Why the hell did she feel like everyone was hiding something from her? Wasn't she supposed to be a trained private investigator, and be able to pick up on this kind of shit? Sighing loudly to herself, Ryn opened her cell phone and punched in Murphy's number. Guess it was time to get this over with, she thought as his husky Irish voice answered on the second ring, causing Ryn to feel as if her heart was walking that dangerous line to heartache once more. _

_It was ten minutes after the phone call that a sharp knock on the door sounded. Ayden looked up from the television; Ryn was at the kitchen sink, meaning that it would have to be her, Ayden, that answered the door. Grimacing to herself as a second knock echoed through the room, Ayden walked with a slow deliberation. She didn't really want to face the twins, especially Connor. What the hell had she been witness to? The question, for one of the first times in her life, actually scared her. After all that she had been through with David, she was even more cautious now than ever. But, she didn't want to think that either man was involved in anything…_

_Her thoughts were jumbling her mind, as she swung the door open, and she was faced with the two men in question. _

_Murphy came in first, smiling slightly at her, before heading directly for Ryn in the kitchen. Connor came next. _

_Ayden backed away from the door, her eyes fixed on an imaginary spot across the room on the wall. _

_She wasn't really even aware of what he was doing, until she felt his breath warm on her cheek next to her ear, and she inhaled the clean, masculine scent of him. _

"_Its not what ye think", he said, his voice so low that even she had to strain to hear it. _

_Ayden's olive eyes darted to his face, as she moved away from him. Her face was set in a grim frown, and her skin had begun to turn that unsettling mottled red shade again, something it did when she was angry. Like she was now. _

"_Oh really", she whispered back harshly. "And how the hell would you know what I think". _

_Connor looked shocked at her sudden outburst, opening his mouth to speak, but not before she held up a hand to stop him. _

"_Don't! Look, I don't want your explanations Connor McManus. Frankly, I don't give a damn what you or your brother do. Except for the fact that your brother seems to have taken quite the liking to my cousin, so therefore, I'm afraid that I have to care what ya'll do, whether I want to or not. Just don't stand there and make some dumb, lame-ass excuse for what I saw. If its not that bad, then lets just leave it at that for now." Ayden finished her speech with a sharp exhalation of breath, as if she had been holding it all in while she spoke her mind. _

_Connor said nothing. There was nothing to really say. He was not ready to divulge everything about the Saints to this woman he barely knew, yet she was right; he wasn't going to make excuses for it either. _

_Nodding slowly, he took her hand in his. His gray-blue eyes meeting hers in an unspoken request. _

'_He's asking me to keep quiet', Ayden thought suddenly, as his eyes persisted in their plead. Ayden's fiery temper began to surface again. Why the hell should she keep quiet, but as she turned away, glancing towards the kitchen where Ryn and Murphy stood, Ayden understood why he was asking her to keep this between them, at least for now._

_Murphy walked over to the kitchen sink, where Ryn stood bushing her teeth. She turned around towards him just as he fully reached her. She had chosen to wear a pair of curve-hugging blue jeans and a light blue button up shirt that matched her eyes. _

'_Jaysus, the woman is beautiful', he thought to himself, as he took in her thick-lashed blue eyes, pink cheeks and lips, and riotously curly dark hair._

_Ryn saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't easily decipherable; the thought bringing the sting of unwanted tears to her eyes. He looked confused, scared, but mostly he looked at her like she was all he saw. It puzzled her all the more. _

"_Why are you looking at me like that", she asked, slightly embarrassed by his continued staring. _

_Murphy just smiled down at her, his arms snaking around her waist to trap her against the breadth of his chest. He sighed against her cheek, a sound that tore at Ryn's heart and her nerves. "There is just so much that ye don't know about me Ryn. Things ye have to be told. Things from my past, that are calling me, even now. I just…I can't let things go on…", he said, stopping in mid-sentence. He just continued to look down into her eyes, his hand brushing back and forth over her back. _

_Ryn's confusion must have been apparent, because he laid a hand reassuringly on her cheek, before adding, "Not now though, …later". Changing the subject quickly, "Ye two must be starved. Are ye ready to get something to eat?", he asked Ryn as he tugged on one of her curls, before wrapping it around his finger. _

_Ryn's eyes held his, her confusion still written on her face. "Yeah, I just need to get my purse and we can go", she said, forcing a smile to cover her confusion. He was nothing if not right. Now was defiantly not the time. She wasn't sure just what was going on, but it would have to wait. First came the luxury of food. After that…, she would have to shake the twins so she could meet Silas. He had phoned earlier, and said that the biggest break in the case thus far had finally come through. That was all he had said, nothing more. No clue, no hint, nothing. _

"_I hope you are two are hungry", she said, as she walked to pickup her pocketbook from off the kitchen table. _

"_Starved", Connor said, as he rubbed his stomach. All the while looking like one of those damned fat Buddha statues to Ayden. _

"_Good, cause so are we", Ryn continued, not even remotely noticing the annoyed look on her cousin's face, nor the apparent resemblance of Connor to Buddha that Ayden was finding harder and harder not to burst out laughing at._

_Ayden looked back at Connor, his eyes holding within their depths the secret, as well as the tension of what had just transpired between the two of them; while he continued his outward appearance of comedy. Well, that was two things the man had going for him. He was nothing if not comical, and he knew how to hide the tension well. When had things gotten so fucked up?, she thought to herself. When had trust become such an issue? She had grown up in a world where she was surrounded by those she trusted, who trusted her. Now…, well now it wasn't so black and white. Trust had become a gray matter since then. And it had become an ever-constant issue…Always!_


	5. Sainthood SemiChapter

**This is not my usual chapter, as I informed you guys before Chapter 4. This is going to be background information on Ryn McAllister, as well as her cousin Ayden. The gap of the last four years for the Twins will also be filled in. David Lewis, and his role within the Guardians plus his personal background will have light shed on it. The question of where is Da, and for that matter what is going on with Ma will be answered also. **

**I felt this was needed simply because it is hard to write all these minor details into a story, a fanfiction story on top of that; and, I wanted you, the reader, to know exactly what was going on. So hence, the need for this "Semi-Chapter", as I am calling it. **

**Now on to the backgrounds:**

**Kathryn "Ryn" Isabella McAllister **is 23 years old, and a Private Investigator in Savannah, Georgia. She is seen as a curvy, voluptuous young woman, with bright blue eyes and dark (almost black) riotously curly hair. She has always thought of herself as somewhat plain in light of her cousin, but over the years she has learned that she is quite a beauty herself, and that her curvy figure is much more of a blessing than a curse, especially when it comes to guys. Ryn grew up on the coast of South Carolina. She is an only child. Her parents, Richard and Helen McAllister have been married for almost 30 years, and still reside with the majority of Ryn's other family in SC. Ryn, having no siblings, is very close to her cousin Ayden McAllister. In fact, the two are more like sisters than cousins. Ryn attended Notre Dame, with Ayden, and she majored in Anthropology, with a concentration in Irish Studies. While at Notre Dame, Ryn, along with her cousin Ayden, met David Lewis. (More about Ayden and David later) Ryn also fell in love while at college, as so many people do. His name was Will Blackmon. The two were very close, but, again as so many college students do, they eventually broke up and went their own separate ways. Since then, Ryn has not fully opened up to men. She felt that she fell head-over-heels too quickly for Will. And although, she has always maintained that she won't ever regret Will, being as her motto in life is "Never regret anything that once made you smile", Ryn still feels a deep sense of disappointment over the failed relationship. After graduation, Ryn returned to South Carolina in hopes of finding a job. However, no job offers with a need in her area of studies could be found. Down on her luck, jobless, "boyfriend-less", and with no real sense of purpose to drive her, Ryn decided to visit her cousin Ayden in Savannah. Once there, Ryn does a trial-run, so to speak, as a Private Investigator for Ayden's PI business. Ryn falls in love with the job, and is once again sparked by her new interest and "purpose". The job allows her the control that she felt she lost with Will. It also allows her to be more than just a pretty face. At the beginning of Sainthood, we see that Ryn is now in South Boston's Irish District working on a new case. Her case has to do with a well-organized, criminal, copycat group in Savannah known only as the "Guardians". This group has been the cause behind several high-profile deaths in the past year, and they have since come out to the press that they are indeed in the same league as the South Boston "Saints", from a few years back. The "Guardians" claim to be continuing where the "Saints" have left off. Yet, as Ryn investigates, she notices several differences between the two groups and their killings. These differences are what bring Ryn to South Boston. She has decided it is time to find out more about the "Saints", and if they really are in connection with the brutal group in Georgia. As you have read by now, Ryn in fact meets the Saints themselves, but is oblivious to their true nature. She is also trying to form a relationship with Murphy McManus. Ryn has gotten a job at the local pub, McGinty's. This is in order to continue her cover as a struggling newcomer who has dropped out of college. Many things during the course of the story will be hidden and then revealed to Ryn, and the main thing is how her character will deal with it all. Will she crack, or is she tougher than she seems? You will have to keep reading to find out how things end! :D

**Ayden Elisabeth McAllister **is 26 years old. Ayden is described as having medium-length Auburn hair, and strange olive-y jade green eyes. She is the more "exotic" of the two girls. She has a fiery temper, and a tomboyish outlook. She is the main character, Ryn's, cousin. Ayden is the youngest of three children. Her two older siblings are both brothers, married, and living quiet comfortable lives in South Carolina. Ayden also attended Notre Dame, but she did not attend it straight out of high school like Ryn did. She graduated a year before Ryn with a degree in Criminal Justice, and a minor in business. Ayden's dream was to open up her own business, and she did just that with McAllister PI in Savannah, Georgia. Ayden also works as a civil servant with the local police, and has even done the occasional job for the FBI. Ayden, like her cousin, fell in love while at college. Ayden's relationship with David Lewis, however, lasted on into life after Notre Dame. Ayden moved in with David in Savannah, and the two were quiet happy. They had talked about marriage, as well as an eventual family together. These dreams of wedded bliss were crushed though, when Ayden uncovered the truth about David, and his connection with the "Guardians". Ayden flees from GA, barely escaping with her life, and joins up with her cousin in Boston. Ayden's very life is in jeopardy, but it is the lives of those around her that are at the most risk. David will stop at nothing to have Ayden back. Here, she meets the twins, and is immediately pulled in by Connor McManus. Although, she has just been betrayed by a man, and feels no sudden longing to start a relationship just yet, Ayden can not deny her physical attraction to the handsome Irishman. He is everything that David never was: gentle, understanding, loyal, and devilishly funny and charming. These immediate differences are what Ayden uses to justify her lust for Connor. However, may things be more than just that? Read the story to see! :D

**David Andrew Lewis** is 25 years old. He is the ex of Ayden McAllister, and ONE of the main antagonists in the story. He should be seen by readers as someone who is extremely dangerous, and extremely unhinged. He should not be seen as trustworthy, or mentally stable. He claims to love Ayden, and needs her in his life to "survive". But things with David should never, ever be taken as what they seem. David met the cousins at Notre Dame, and this is seen as a complete coincidence, …or is it? He has no family, and has told Ayden that he is originally from Savannah. This is the main reason Ayden moves down to GA to open the PI business instead of in SC. But let me state again, nothing about David Lewis is as it seems. There is no truth in his words, except for his threats, these should be taken with all seriousness. I can not say much more about David, without giving away the whole story… Just be forewarned that David is not a good person, nor will he really redeem himself. This is intentional. I DO NOT want David Lewis to be a good person. He is going to be a complex character, not simply a bad one, and he is justly meant to make you, the reader's, skin crawl! :D

**Murphy McManus**. What do I need to say about the twins?! If you are reading this FanFiction, then you know the obvious background details. What I am going to do though, is fill in the blanks for the past four years, since the Yakavetta trial. Murphy is now thirty-one, being as him and his brother were meant to be 27 in the movie in 1999 and the year is now 2003. Since the Yakavetta incident, Murphy and his brother, have maintained a low profile. Their calling as Saints has been somewhat diminished over the past almost 5 years. Their Da has returned to Ireland (told you I would answer the Where is Da question), and is living out his old age in peace and quiet with Annabelle (Ma). When he moved back, it put the Saints back down to a duo instead of a trio. Murphy, who was disheartened at first by Connor's request to lie-low, is still trying to deal with his own guilt and grief over Rocco. He has become the manager of the meat packing plant, where Connor laughs at him because he gets to play with his knives all the time, like "Fucking Rambo". Although they have been unusually quiet as the Saints, the two do continue to issue their own form of justice when absolutely necessary. In these cases, Agent Smecker calls on the twins for special assignments. Murphy was once engaged, and on the verge of marrying a girl a few years back. Her name was Sara Whitley. Murphy hid the Saints from Sara for a long time, but eventually could not justify not telling his future wife. Sara left Murphy though, upon hearing about his involvement with the Saints. She called him a monster, and told him that no one should be allowed to play God like that. She never connected Connor with it though, and it is implied in the story that Sara was not the brightest crayon in the box because of this. She did try to contact the police about Murphy. Her story about him and the Boondock Saints was collected by Det. Greenly, Greenly then turned her over to Smecker, who placed Sara Whitley in Witness Protection, convincing her that it was for her own safety. Murphy never knew exactly what happened to her, as Smecker chose to withhold this information from him. Connor, on the other hand, knows but has also decided that his brother doesn't need to be informed of the "Backstabbing Bitch", as he calls her. Murphy meets Ryn in the story, forms a bond with her, and tries numerous times to tell her about the Saints. Does he eventually tell her? How does she react to the info, if she is in fact told? Have to keep on reading'!! :D

**Connor McManus**. Is now also 31. Much about him and his involvement in the Saints has been filled in above. Connor works as a rock-climbing instructor at the local Y. Murphy gets to pick on him daily about him and his stupid fucking rope now. Connor has had no real relationships in the past four years. Everything has been seen by the twin as just a fling, or a friend with benefits (so to speak). He has never felt much more than lust for a woman. He meets Ryn and Ayden, and is drawn in by the latter cousin. She is fiery, passionate, and strong. He writes it off as just lust at first, as before. But things can always change….he begins to see the need for a stable woman in his life. Connor is tired of the job as a Saint. He is tired of feeling the burn from it. He is the one who suggested, after Da left, to put the group on hold for a while. Connor wants to save up enough money to move back to Ireland with his family. Eventually, wants to settle down and raise a family there. Does he get his wish with Ayden, or is it all a pipe dream?? Like I said before, keep on reading the story; answers will present themselves to you in time. :D


	6. Chapter 5: An Old Life Comes Calling

**This is the real Chapter 5. Sorry it took so long to put up…. :\ Hope you guys enjoy it though.**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!**

**I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters. **

**WARNING:**** BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. **

**All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!**

Chapter 5: An Old Life Comes Calling

David Lewis sat at the large, ornate mahogany desk that had been a Christmas present two years ago from Ayden. He had seen it in an old Antique shop one day with her, and had talked about how beautiful it was non-stop for a week. He had finally decided to go back and purchase it, only to find that it had already been sold. A month later, on Christmas Eve, he had found it sitting in his office with a large red bow and Ayden, dressed in scanty black lingerie, lying on top. Now, he ran a hand caressingly over it, as he remembered that night. 'Damn it Ayden', he thought quietly, 'Why the does it have to come down to this'.

A harsh knock on his door brought him out of his musing.

"Come in", he said as he pushed the burgundy leather chair away from the desk.

A tall man with a shaved head came walking in.

"Well", David said expectantly. "Have you found her?"

The man nodded his head. "We think so sir. We believe she is hiding somewhere in Boston, but we haven't pinpointed her exact location yet."

David slowly drummed his fingers on the desk, "Think", he said quietly, "Believe. These are not very reassuring words, Kyle." His eyes took on a hard look, "Just make sure you find her", he said before adding, "And bring her back to me untouched, do I make myself understood? If anyone has the right to punish that girl, its me".

"Yes sir", Kyle said, turning to leave.

David opened his desk drawer and pulled out the picture that Ayden and he had taken last summer. She was so beautiful. Her auburn hair gleamed in the picture, as did her tanned skin. And those eyes, damn those eyes of hers. They could capture a man, and they had… him, five years ago. In the picture, they just sparkled. She was happy then. But things had changed. He knew she wasn't so happy now, especially with him. The pressure that had been placed on him when he had been offered control of The Guardians had caused things to change. But, without the Guardians he was nothing; without the trust he had gained from "Him", David was nothing. He would never give up his place now. He was in control. He had the power; and quite frankly, he enjoyed it. He would have Ayden McAllister by his side, she would be his wife, and she would accept and be a part of the Guardians whether she liked it or not. He had already shown her how he dealt with people who didn't agree with him. The thought of the fear on her face when he had flown off the handle about her leaving, it still somehow thrilled him. He had felt the absolute power over her that night, even when her shaking hands had pulled the gun on him. He knew she wouldn't use it. He let her go, even though she thought she had won. He knew she needed time, and that he would give her…for now. But he would find her and bring her back. Sooner or later Ayden would be with him again, for good this time.

Ayden sat at the diner booth, staring out the window at the cold street that lay just outside. The ride over here had been deathly quiet. She and Connor were not quite at ease with the other. And Ryn and Murphy….well, who knew what was going on there. They both seemed to be fighting an invisible tension. A low sigh escaped from her lips, causing Connor to glance over at her. He could read the discontent in her face, even if no one else could. Reaching under the table, he wrapped his long fingers around hers, and gave her cold hand a gentle squeeze. The feel of sudden warmth caused Ayden to turn quickly back around, and stare into those piercing eyes of Connor's.

"Ye okay", he asked.

Ayden nodded silently. Not really she wanted to say, but she couldn't really explain to him why she felt like that. Not here, not now. She looked past his shoulders to where Ryn stood with Murphy at the register. The two were still not really talking much to one another. Even now, they stood an arms length apart; Ryn's polished brown boots making an audible "clack" , as she tapped her foot against the black and white linoleum. Her arms were crossed over her chest, defensively Ayden thought to herself, and her head was cocked to one side as her eyes focused on the waitress taking the cash from Murphy. Judging by Ryn's body language, things were definitely not all rainbows and butterflies between the two.

Connor's eyes followed Ayden's. He saw it too. How could he tell her that Murphy was acting like he was simply because he was scared to death of what he was about to tell Ryn? And Ryn…well, she was probably just confused by Murphy's behavior, that was the reason behind her walled defense. Connor wanted to tell Ayden these things, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't jeopardize himself, Murphy, or the Saints. And anyway, even if he did tell her this, whose to say she would believe him. She had been on edge herself, after catching him and his brother in the alley with Smecker.

Smecker. The name made Connor roll his eyes unconsciously. Paul had asked to meet with the two of them this morning; said it was urgent. And indeed it was. He had informed the twins that a cop by the name of Silas and some flimsy P.I. firm from out of town had been digging around in some old "Saints" files. Asking questions they shouldn't be asking; that sort of thing. At first, Connor and Murphy had both just shrugged it off. They had been investigated plenty of times. And each time, the ones doing the investigating had all come to a dead end. So why should they worry, right?! That was until Smecker had gone on to inform the two, that this time it was different. That the cop had really been digging deep, and was starting to put the pieces together. And the private investigator, well there was obviously two now working on the case. If he only knew what they were after. No single cop went out looking for this kind of shit on his own. And no P.I. worked this hard pro-bono. Who or what were they searching for? Or rather, who or what wanted the searching done in the first place?

The conversation was still replaying in Connor's head, when Ryn and Murphy reached the table.

"Aye, ye two ready to go", Murphy asked, as he pulled on his dark wool coat.

Connor nodded, exiting the booth with Ayden right behind him.

"I have to be to work in less than a fuckin' hour", Connor said. "I'm going to just go ahead and take the bus there, aye".

Murphy broke out into a grin, "Alright Charlie Bronson. Have fun playin with yer fuckin rope today".

Connor slapped playfully at the back of his brother's head, glad to see him finally smiling, "Aye. Well, don't be too sad that yer off from work today, Rambo. I know how ye miss yer knives and all when ye are away too long".

Turning to Ryn, he said, "Keep me fuckin brother outta trouble. Jaysus only knows how Macho Murph gets when he's bored". Connor winked conspiratorially at her, causing Ryn's eyes to shoot up. Damn it, she thought to herself. Not what she needed right now. Babysitting a grown-ass Irish man, that just wasn't on her agenda of things to do today. Glancing down at her watch, Ryn saw that it was a quarter to ten. Her meeting with Silas was at 10:30. She had been told to meet him at a secret location; it was a safe house for the local precinct. Ayden was going to go this time. Even though this was definitely Ryn's case, Ayden was now just as much involved, if not more so, than she was. She would have to shake Murphy though. Maybe she should tell him that she had some shopping to do, and that Ayden, or course, just had to come along. Well, whatever she decided she had to do it quick. Looking up from her watch, Ryn saw that Murphy had moved away from her, and was now standing just inside the door with Connor. The two were discussing something…probably her, she thought silently.

"Aye", Connor whispered to his brother, as the two stood away from the girls. "What are ye going to do? Ye have to get away from yer girl for a while, so we can meet with Smecker."

Murphy shook his head, "No shit Sherlock. And thanks to ye, I can't use work as an excuse now".

"I'm sorry. But the moment called for it,… it made ye laugh at least. And about damn time too. I thought having a girl was supposed to make ye smile more. Make ye happy."

Murphy hit his brother in the gut, "Shut yer mouth, Conn. Ryn does make me happy. This sneakin' around because of the Saints doesn't. Me not tellin the truth to her doesn't. This shyte has got to stop soon, ye know that. Or else we will never have normal fuckin lives".

Connor nodded, "Aye, I think we both know that. Look just find an excuse, and meet me at this address by no later than 10:15". Connor slipped a small, torn strip of paper bearing the address into Murphy's hand, before ducking out the door and into the biting cold. Murphy looked down at the paper, and turned back to look at Ryn standing just a few feet away. He would have to tell her something, and soon. It was almost 10 already!

Ryn was running late,…again; the second time she had done this now to Silas. Pulling up at the building, Ryn looked out the cab window. It was nice, she thought. A lot nicer than she had always expected big city safe houses to be. It was a cottage style house, white with green trim. There were flower boxes at the windows, and although they were empty now because of the cold, Ryn could imagine them bursting with bright flowers in the summer. The place a sense of calm about it, a sense of home. It was on a brightly lit street, but not overly crowded with many neighboring houses. It was exactly the type of place that Ryn would love to live in herself. In fact, it looked very similar to the house that Ayden and her shared back in Savannah. Stepping out into the swirling snow, Ryn pulled her peacock blue coat snugger about her body, and pulled her cap low over her eyes. Motioning for Ayden to follow, she made her way up the steps to the large heavy oak door. Knocking on the door two loud raps and receiving no answer, Ryn looked back at her cousin and rolled her eyes. She knew that she was almost fifteen minutes late, but she had left a voice message with Silas, telling him that they were on their way, and would be there soon. Where the hell was he?

"Try the door", Ayden suggested, receiving another eye roll from Ryn.

"Seriously? C'mon Ay, it's a safe house. Why the hell would the door be unlocked?"

Ayden just brushed past her cousin with a sigh, and turned the brass door handle. Really not expecting anything, but willing to be the optimistic of the two, Ayden let out a startled cry when the door swung open on squeaky hinges.

"Well I'll be damned", Ryn said under her breath as she walked slowly into the dimly lit room, her gun drawn for precautions sake.

"Silas", she called softly, as Ayden closed the door gently behind her. No need for any passerby to see what was going on inside the unassuming abode.

Ryn turned towards the living room, as Ayden headed to the kitchen. Both could feel it as their guns were drawn and cocked. Something was going on. Upon seeing the empty room, Ryn signaled Ayden to check the back, while she made her way upstairs.

At the top step, Ryn paused. The rug that ran the length of the long hall lay upturned, as if someone had tripped over it, knocking the floor lamp in the corner onto the floor. Ryn's heart raced in her chest. Her common sense telling her to get the hell out of there, but her stubborn, curious side telling her to stay to investigate. The latter won out, as it usually did. But that still didn't cause her heart to slow down. It pounded so loudly in her ears, that she was sure that anyone who was still in the house could hear her coming a mile away. That's when she heard it. Over her thudding heart, Ryn heard the muffled grunt.

It had come from a back room, whose door was slightly ajar. Ryn walked quietly towards the door, as her hand snaked out to reach the knob. Turning swiftly, Ryn kicked open the door, her gun pointing into the room first. She poked her head cautiously in; and there she saw Silas. His arms had been tied together and his mouth taped, but other than that he appeared unhurt. All of Ryn's training flew out the window when she saw him. The fear that she saw in his warm eyes made her forget. But it also made her blind…blind to the caution that lay in his eyes as well. Ryn rushed over to him, taking the tape from his mouth.

"Ryn!", he said breathlessly. "No Ryn! You have to get out of here. I'm not sure they'll hurt you. I don't think that's their style, but Ryn…it's a setup, do you hear me a se…".

His word were lost on Ryn though as she turned around suddenly at a noise from behind.

"Oh my god! You?!"


	7. Chapter 6: Blood and Tears

_**Here is Chapter 6 of Sainthood. Please keep your reviews coming guys, it really helps me, and it serves to let me know that people are actually reading and enjoying the story :D**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!**_

_**I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters. **_

_**WARNING:**__** BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. **_

_**All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!**_

_Chapter 6: Blood and Tears_

_Ryn stood transfixed to the spot. The face before her was so familiar…what was he doing here? She felt a cold chill creep up her spine, as she turned around to look at Silas, his hands still bound. He hadn't been hurt, not yet that is. Turning back around to face the figure clad in black, her bright blue eyes took on a hard glint. _

"_You", she repeated, more loathing in her voice than surprise this time. _

_The man grimaced slightly, "Yes Ryn,… 'me'. Come now, shouldn't you be happier than that to see me". _

_David Lewis strode closer to Ryn, his black suit contrasting sharply against his winter-paled skin and blond hair. His gun was drawn, and a cynical smile was on his face as his hollow steps echoed off of the wood floors. _

"_Don't you dare hurt her", Silas spat out. _

_David laughed then, a cruel sound that made Ryn shiver involuntarily. "I hardly think you are in any position to tell me what to do Detective. Besides, didn't you just warn precious little Ryn here that we wouldn't hurt her, as it wasn't…let's see what were your exact words…ah yes, as it wasn't our style. Well now Silas, perhaps you shouldn't have been so quick to judge", he said, as he raised his gun. _

_The shot rang out so loud in the bare room, that Ryn dropped to her knees, her ears ringing incessantly. Looking back, she saw that the bullet had struck its intended target. _

"_Oh god…NO! Silas!" Ryn screamed, a blood-curdling cry as the man fell to the floor with a thud. _

_Silas lay on the floor, his life's blood spilling from the wound to pool darkly around his head like some sinister halo. His face was ashen, his breathing irregular, but not yet shallow. _

_Crawling on her knees, her eyes clouded with tears of frustration and fear, Ryn reached out to the man with trembling hands. But as she looked down at him, she saw the determination in his eyes. That's when she really saw his wound. It hadn't hit his heart as she had feared at first. In fact, it was even farther away from that area than she could have hoped. He had been hit though, and the wound in his shoulder blade was deep. It bleed profusely, staining his shirt so much, that it did indeed looked like he had been mortally wounded. From the wound he would survive, but only if the blood loss was stopped, and soon. _

_Silas winked slightly at her, and closed his eyes as his breaths became deliberately slower and shallower. Playing dead, hmmm. Well, she had to give it to the man, it seemed to be working on David. _

"_Aw now 'Little Sister', did I kill your poor little cop friend?" David stood only a few feet away from Ryn, his face set in a malicious grin. _

"_Come on, get the fuck up Ryn. I don't want to have to hurt you,… at least not here that is", another mirthless laugh. His hand snaked out to grab her, but she pulled back, spitting in his face. _

"_Fuck you, David. Just to let you know, you never were or will you ever be good enough for Ayden…Never!"_

_His face lost the grin, to be replaced by a violent frown, "That wasn't very smart of you Ryn". _

_She opened her mouth to say something, but never got the chance. The last thing she saw was that horrible scowl, before a blinding pain shot through her head, and her world was encased in total blackness. _

_Murphy and Connor entered the house cautiously. Everything seemed quite, but the one thing that being the Saints had taught them was that nothing was ever as it seemed. But this time,… well this time, everything was as it appeared. But unlike other times,… everything being quite, was not a good sign!_

"_Fuck it, Conn. What the hell is going on here", Murphy shouted, his anger rising. This had been their break, to find out the identities of this cop and those damned private investigators. _

_Connor ran a hand though his hair distractedly, he was just as confused as his brother. His cell phone rang suddenly, causing him to pull his hand out of his hair long enough to answer it. _

"_Aye", he said, his own temper as hot as Murphy's. _

"_Connor…This is Smecker. Listen to me, you two have the wrong friggin' house. It's not 305, you hear me, not 305 but 315 instead. Same street though. White house this time, green trim. Think you two can find it, its only down…"_

_Smecker's voice was cut off though, by a gunshot that rang out over the street. Flipping the phone shut, Connor jammed it into his back pocket, as he pulled his mask over his face once more and followed Murphy out the back door. _

_A scream trailed the shot. Loud, clear, and definitely a woman's. Murphy looked back at Connor, his face screwed up with even more rage. If there was one thing he hated more than Mafioso, it was those same fuck-ups hurting a woman. With even more resolve, Murphy's anger-darkened eyes scanned the neighborhood. Bingo! A house about four or so houses down from the one they were in; white with green trim. Stalking across the neighboring lawns, the two came upon the house. A white Escalade was parked in the back…Georgia license tags. Georgia? Wasn't Ryn and Ayden from Georgia? Putting a finger to his lips in silent warning to Connor, Murphy crouched down low, positioning his body directly in front of the back door. Connor followed suit. That's when he saw her. Huddled in a tight shivering ball, under a window. Her tears streaming down her face, as she clearly debated on whether or not to re-enter the house. Connor stood quickly, walking with a direct deliberation to her. Ayden,…his Ayden. Wait, what…his Ayden? The thought flashed in his mind, but he disregarded it. All he could see right now was her, never mind the fact that he was obviously having some pretty strong feelings towards the woman. Nor did he even stop to consider why the hell she was there in the first place. No, all he saw was those stunningly unusual green eyes of hers clouded with tears and terror. He reached out a hand to her, just as her eyes settled on his face. Only it wasn't his face she saw. It was that blessed ski mask he was wearing. Letting out a frightened scream, Ayden jumped up, brandishing that huge hunting knife of hers once again at him. Except she didn't know it was him this time. _

"_Stay back, damn you. Do you hear me? I don't care if you do have a gun, I will cut your ass up, if you take one step closer." Ayden looked at Connor before her eyes shifted to where Murphy stood just a few yards away. Staring back at Connor, her face took on a confused look. A look that scared him even more than the one of terror she had been wearing just a few minutes before. Glancing down at the bright chrome gun he clutched in his hand, her eyes suddenly lit with recognition. Ayden's hand flew to her mouth, as her eyes sought out his, finally connecting. _

"_Connor?", she asked softly, as her hand reached out to tug the mask gently off his face. A soft groan escaped her lips as she took in that familiarly handsome face of his. _

"_Oh Connor…what…I mean. What are you doing here? What are ya'll doing here?" Again, a sudden realization flooded into her eyes as the question he had been dreading for years in his life now came forth from her lips, "Who are you two…really?". _

_Connor could tell by the confidence in her eyes, that she already knew the answer. _

"_I think ye know Ay", he said quietly, as his eyes cast downward and his jaw clenched unceremoniously. _

_Again another sigh, but instead of what Connor had expected, he heard her mumble a prayer of thanks. _

"_You two have come at the right time. Look, there are obviously things we need to talk about, but later…", she said as she laid a finger against Connor's lips to silence his questioning. "Right now, Ryn is in there. Do you hear me Murph", Ayden called, "Ryn is in there, and so is the leader of the Guardians. I can't help her, but you two…well, you two can. Just please go save Ryn, save my cousin before its too late". _

_Ayden finally sunk back down on the ground, a sob forming on her lips, as the tears coursed down her cheeks. Murphy had run over by then. His eyes held so much fear and rage in them, that Connor laid a reassuring hand on his brother's tense shoulder in understanding. _

_Nodding to one another, no words even needed at a time like this, both twins pulled semi-automatics from their holsters, and entered the house with guns blazing. _

_Pain. That was all Ryn felt when she woke up. White, blinding pain that radiated from the back of her head to the front. Opening one eye cautiously, half expecting to see herself in some abandoned warehouse somewhere; or worse in the trunk of David's car, Ryn was surprised to see the white "sterile-ness" of a hospital. Craning her neck, Ryn was even more surprised to see the sleeping form of Murphy folded uncomfortably in one of those straight-back chairs that hospitals . _

"_Murphy", she sighed, her voice coming out as croak instead. She reached out towards him. For having only known Murphy a little while, Ryn was finding that she was beginning to need him more and more. _

_Murphy's eyes opened quickly, bloodshot and weary. "Christ Ryn!" He stretched his body out of the chair, and strode to her, placing a long, deep kiss on her soft lips. Wrapping his fingers through her curls, he pulled her even closer to him. "Ye fuckin' scared me. Don't ye ever do that again! Ye hear me, ever!" _

_Ryn smiled softly against his mouth, grimacing as her head pounded even harder from their efforts. _

"_What happened?", she asked. The last thing she remembered was David's looming face, but yet here she was, safe and sound in a hospital in Boston._

_Murphy sighed, a sound that made Ryn wonder what exactly did all happen. _

"_We found Ayden and ye just in time. That's what fuckin' happened", he said, as he continued to play in her hair gently. _

_Ryn pulled away then, shaking her head gently, "No Murph, I mean…how? How did ya'll find us". Her luminous violet-blue eyes locked on his, and she suddenly felt that bottom-dropping out moment in the pit of her stomach. She continued to stare hard at him, she needed his reassurance, his strength right now. Instead all she got was another sigh. _

"_Ryn, please…now isn't the time to explain everything ye need to know. Ye have a concussion. Hell, ye've been pretty much dead to the world for the past three days."_

_Murphy looked away from her. Those damned eyes of hers were filling with more confusion, and distrust again, and he just couldn't take it. _

"_Three days", she finally said in a breathy moan, her hand going up to rub the large, bandaged knot on the back of her head. And in that time, it seems that way too much had happened for him to tell her. But there were things she had to know! And things he himself must be wanting to know, right? Like why was she even there to begin with…_

_Ryn's mind was fuzzy still, a side-effect from the concussion she reckoned, and her thoughts were not coming as easily as they should. But one thing was sharp in her mind, and that was blood. A huge pool of it; splashed on the floor and his body…_

"_Silas", she whispered, her eyes flooding with the memory, and those awful stinging tears of regret. _

_Murphy's head shot up, his navy-blue eyes cutting hard at her once again. The look in them was hard for Ryn to read through the haze of pain and medication that still clouded up the spaces of her mind. But, it finally dawned on her, just as plain and clear as if she had been expecting it all along. _

"_You know about Silas, don't you?" _

_The words were so low, so soft-spoken; but the weight of them was so heavy that it echoed off the walls with a reverberating authority. _

_Murphy nodded his head, "Aye. I do…we do, Connor and me that is. And he is fine by the way… and so is Ayden, just if ye were wondering". _

_Ryn just stared at him, "How did you know? How did you know any of it? Where I was? How to save me? Who Silas is? Damn it Murphy, what the hell is going on here?" _

_Tears of aggravation seeped from her eyes, as she wiped hastily at them with the back of her hand. This was not what she needed right now, nor what she wanted…crying like this, well, it seemed weak, and she hated looking weak. Murphy bent low, and slowly kissed at each salty tear, before bringing his lips back down on hers in one of the sweetest, soul-wrenching kisses Ryn had ever had in her life. _

"_I know Ryn… I know everything. Connor and Ayden and me,…ye see we all sorta had some explaining to do to one another. But since ye have been in such a state", he said, motioning to the hospital bed she occupied, "Ye obviously haven't been able to be informed of everything yet. But ye will,…just as soon as we get ye home."_

"_No!", Ryn shouted, causing Murphy to jump slightly, and her damned head to feel as if it were renting in two. "Murphy, No! I am tired of all these guessing games with you! I never know what to expect next out of your mouth, and when I do finally think I have some idea of what it is or brace myself for it, you fuckin go and change the subject. I want to know what the hell is going on here…with all three of you for that matter, since you so wonderfully dragged my cousin and your brother into this shit of yours as well." _

_Murphy jumped off the bed, his own temper flared to no end by this exasperating woman. _

"_Amaid!"_

_The word flew out at Ryn, as Murphy struck a hand out against a nearby wall. _

"_What did you just call me", she yelled, her pounding head forgotten as she jumped out of bed, her anger boiling more so than ever. _

_Murphy swung around, his face a mixture of regret, but mostly of his own rage. _

"_Ye heard me. Damn it Ryn! Ye don't even know the half of it! It's not all about ye, ye know…there are things bigger than ye here. Things I haven't told ye for yer sake, and for good fuckin measure too. I don't want to see ye hurt because of it. Because of me." He let out a loud rush of air, as he flopped down onto the bed, his head cradled in his hands, as his body shook from his anger and his grief. _

_Ryn just stood there, she knew what he had called her. If she knew anything it was her Irish Gaelic; "Foolish woman". Yet, now she truly felt foolish indeed; felt like she somehow deserved the insult. Slumping down softly beside him, Ryn pulled Murphy's head onto her shoulder, and gently stroked his messy dark hair. _

"_Trust me then Murphy. Please just tell me what is going on. I need to know, and soon", Ryn sighed, as she pulled his face up to meet hers, "I'll wait…for now,… for you. But don't make me wait forever to know the truth Murphy. I deserve to know …". _

_The last words were left hanging in the open, as she thrust her face upwards to meet his lips in a fiery kiss. This was not like their other kisses. No, this one held anger, and regret, and sorrow. It held all their trust and distrust of each other. But mostly, it held a taste of love in it. And that, was something that Ryn would never forget the taste of in all her life after that moment. _

_Ayden leaned her head against the cold post, and sighed to herself. She had intended to go in and see her cousin, but upon the scene she encountered…, Ryn and Murphy practically making out on the hospital bed, she had thought better of it. Now, she was standing outside the hospital, the cold air burning her lungs. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She hadn't smoked in over 2 years, but since this mess with David, and Ryn's stint in the hospital, she had picked back up the habit. She took a seat at the bottom of the steps and took a deep draw from her cigarette, trying to clear her thoughts, when a voice startled her out of them. _

"_Smoking is bad for ye, might wanna think of quitin", Connor said with a devilish grin on his face, as he eased his long body down beside hers' on the steps. _

"_Gotta die some way, best to know what I am going to die of… or, at least have a fairly good idea anyways", Ayden replied, before taking another long drag. She knew that Ryn was going to have a fit when she found out that she was smoking again, but at this point it didn't matter anymore. Ayden felt herself falling into a deep depression because of all of the things going on. She blamed herself for Ryn getting hurt, for being involved in this whole situation at all. She should never have come to Boston. And Connor and Murphy…, she couldn't keep turning to them for protection. Guilt was becoming her new best friend. She didn't know how to stop these feelings. Her eyes began to sting from the cold and from the familiar tears of remorse. Connor finished lighting a cigarette, and looked over at Ayden. Not knowing why she was crying, Connor knew that now was not the time to ask what was wrong. He put his arm around her, and pulled her closer. _

_Resting his chin on the top of her head and rubbing the space right between her shoulder blades, he kept repeating, "It will all be ok". _

_After the third time Ayden looked up at him, "You forgot to click your heals together as you said it Dorothy". _

_Connor chuckled slightly at her comment. He was beginning to learn that this was how Ayden dealt with things, by being funny or sarcastic or whatever. It was something he had also noticed that Ryn and her had in common. He just continued to rub her back, choosing not to reply. Finally after a few more moments of silence between the two, Ayden sighed and spoke again. _

"_Connor, I… I don't know what to do. I need to get away from here. Away from everyone. So David doesn't keep coming after Ryn. I don't want you two involved either, this isn't your fight."_

_Connor pulled away from her, and looked deep into her jade eyes, "Ay, it doesn't matter if you want any of us in it or not. We already all are. Ryn is in this because of you. Murph is in this because of Ryn, and I am in this because of Murph. See how we all fit together"._

_Yeah, she saw alright. Ayden didn't know why, but that last comment he made hurt,… bad. He was only in it cause of Murphy. _

'_Oh come off of it Ayden', she silently chided herself, 'Stop being so damned naïve, of course he was only in this for Murphy. He couldn't be feeling anything for you'. _

_Taking a step further away from the man in question, as if the distance might help, Ayden continued to smoke her cigarette, feeling the tension ease a little with each puff. _

_What was it about Connor that made him seem different than all the rest? His eyes captivated her; Hell, everything about him did. She now knew he was a part of the Saints and so was his brother, and for some odd reason she didn't find it as bad as David being over the Guardians. Feeling confused, her cigarette finally gone, its butt now crushed beneath the heel of her boot, she reached for another cigarette. Pulling one out of the pack, Ayden looked up as Connor laughed at her. "What the hell do you find so damn funny?", she asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Why those are the shortest damn things that I have ever seen, no wonder ye need to smoke so many at a time." Ayden rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove just as Murphy came walking down the stairs, a love struck grin on his face once again. "Give me a cigarette Conn….., Jaysus Ay! I didn't know ye smoked", he said with a bewildered look, his fingers fumbling around the lighter because of the cold. "I just started back when all of this went down. Ryn is going to kill me when she finds out that I started back. I quit cause of her. Well, because of her and David. They always harassed me about these damn cancer sticks, and one day I just put them down. I didn't want them when I bought the first pack, but after that I couldn't stop", her voice trailed off into nothing, as her eyes took on a look of remembrance. Neither twin said anything, they didn't have to, not to Ayden, that just wasn't how it worked with her."What did the doc say Murph" Connor asked changing the subject."He said they were going to run some tests now that she was awake. Try to find out how bad the damage was or still is. Said she should be able to come home tomorrow if all goes well." "I need to go back to the apartment then, and clean it a little. I don't want her coming home to a dirty place", Ayden said with a groan, having at last come out of her own thoughts. Connor laughed to himself and stood up. "Aye, lets go then. Don't want ye doing all the work by yerself", he said reaching out his hand toward Ayden. Ayden took the offered hand and let him pull her up. She smiled weakly at Murphy, before starting off down the sidewalk. Murphy looked at Connor with a smile, his hand on his brother's coat sleeve, holding him back. "Ye like her, don't ye Conn?" "I don't know what the fuck yer talking about Murph", Connor said, rolling his eyes heavenward. _

_Murphy took a drag of his cigarette, squinting his eyes slightly, as if assessing his twin. Pointing his index finger, the cigarette still clutched precariously in his other fingers, "I call bullshit on this one, Conn". _

_Letting out a groan, Connor ran his fingers through his hands. "Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph. Is it that fucking obvious Murph", he asked with worried eyes. _

_Murphy just raised one eyebrow, and continued to smoke his cigarette and stare at his brother in that calculating way of his. _

"_Damn it Murphy, there is something about the girl. I cant put me finger on. She is different than other girls that I have known. It's not just about fucking her. Not this time. Hell, it might be easier if that was all this was about. Get it over with, ye know…out of me system. But its more…! Ah, and those eyes, those damn eyes of hers, a man could get lost in them." "Yeah, ye like her", Murphy said with a laugh, as he blew his smoke out into a perfect ring. " I feel this strong need to protect her, like ye are with yer Ryn. But she is going through so much. She told me she wants to leave Boston because of this David fella being here. She doesn't want to put Ryn and us in danger. The lass is trying to take all of this on herself, and Murph, I'm scared she is going to get hurt if she keeps on like this, if she leaves, aye. I can't tell her how I feel…not now…not because of what that bastard did to her… hell, what he is still doing to her. Besides, I'm not sure she feels the same way…not yet. Its too soon, ye know." "Conn, ye worry too much. Not that I have any cause to say that to ye, when I'm the same fuckin way with Ryn", Murphy said, as he ground out his cigarette. Motioning towards the retreating back of Ayden, "Ye had better catch up with her, she is almost out of sight. We'll talk about this when I get Ryn home. I have my own shyte to deal with. Telling her and all", he said with a sigh. Connor nodded, laying a hand on his brother's back. "Aye. It'll all be okay. We have been through too much shyte now, for it not to be. We have always seen this kinda stuff, Murph. There has always been blood and tears in our lives, ever since starting the Saints. And there always will be, as long as we continue to live like this. But, maybe now…since ye have that wonderful girl of yours', who might I add is layin in a hospital bed because of all this shyte,… just maybe ye finally understand why I want out of this life. And why, I'm hesitant about bringing Ayden in on all of it". _

_With a final pat on Murphy's back, Connor locked eyes with his twin, both nodding in unison, no words needed for them to understand what the other was trying to say. _

"_Aye", was all Murphy said, before turning to head back into the hospital, as Connor started to jog off down the street, trying to catch up with the now distant Ayden. _


	8. Chapter 7: Feels Like the First Time

**Chapter 7: Feels Like The First Time**

**Ryn leaned wearily against the gray upholstery of the cab, as an audible sigh escaped her lips. She had just left the hospital, and was now on her way to the apartment…alone. **

**Again another loud sigh, causing the cabbie to glance back in the rearview mirror curiously. Ryn's violet-blue eyes stared back irritably, her jaw twitching angrily as she turned her glare towards the window and passing scenery. Her breath frosted the pane in a foggy patch, making it hard to see the cold background which lay just outside. She pulled her coat tighter against her shivering body; it was unnaturally cold in the vehicle, as if the cab driver was trying to conserve gas by refusing to run the heat. **

**Ryn was angry,… no, she was furious. She shouldn't be alone, she shouldn't be in this car by herself, she shouldn't be going home to an empty apartment. She shouldn't be doing any of this stuff, but she was. Where was Murphy? Where was Ayden? Hell, where was Connor, for that matter? She had all these people in her life, and suddenly none of them were to be found. Placing a weary hand against her forehead, Ryn leaned further into the seat. Her head was killing her; it felt as if a thousand elephants were trampling around inside her head, and it didn't help that her pain medication from earlier was wearing off fast. **

**Someone should have been here with her, she fumed silently…they should have been but no one was.**

**Murphy glanced down at his watch; 12:35. Ryn would be leaving the hospital by now. He groaned silently to himself. He hated having to leave her there all by herself, but he knew when Smecker called at first light this morning, he would be coming to meet the FBI agent whether he wanted to or not. **

**Glancing around the cozy living room in which he and Connor now stood, Murphy smiled. He had always liked this house, ever since Paul had bought it years ago as a safe house for official "Saints" meetings. Not much official business had happened here. There was never any time usually for the two of them to trek it all the way to this side of town to meet with Smecker. No, the house had more or less been used as sort-of a hangout for all of them. Many nights playing poker, smoking good cigars, and drinking first-class Irish whiskey with the 'boys' had taken place here. The house was modest enough for Boston, but it had a certain charm about it. The two-story single-family unit had been in sad disrepair when it was first bought, and it was only through the many invested hours of himself, Connor, Paul, and the "Po's", as they had nicknamed the other agents, that it had become should a hospitable little abode. Now, as he stood there looking over the warm ocher-colored walls and gleaming wood floors, did Murphy realize just how much like home this place had always felt to him. It even reminded him a bit of his Ma's house, down to the cozy furnishings. **

"**What the fuck are ye smiling at", Connor said suddenly, intruding into his thoughts. "Ye look like the fuckin' Cheshire cat", he continued with a chuckle, as Murphy's palm shot out to smack him loudly on the back of his head. **

"**Shut yer fuckin' mouth", Murphy said with a roll of his eyes. **

**Connor laughed again. "Oh yeah. Well, make me Mary."**

**Murphy's hand reached out, grabbing only the tail of his brother's black shirt. "Aye. Come back here and face me like a fuckin' man why don't ya", he said as he lunged around the leather sofa to where his waiting twin stood. **

**The two meet with a playful force, as they both fell hard onto the couch, before rolling their way onto the floor, each throwing constant blows at the other.**

"**Will you two stop, and act like you've got some damn sense", Ayden said unexpectedly, coming around the corner with two precariously balanced coffee mugs; Smecker just steps behind with two more cups.**

**Connor was the first to jump up quickly, grinning sheepishly at her before throwing a hand out towards the still stretched out Murphy. **

"**Ye got off easy this time", Murphy said with a broad grin, even while he allowed himself to be helped up. **

**Connor just rolled his eyes, a yeah-whatever look on his handsome features as he continued to pull his brother up from off the hard wooden floor. "This isn't over by a long-shot Mary", he said with a wicked smirk on his face and one raised, blonde eyebrow. **

**Murphy broke away glaring, as he reached out again to strike. Ayden was quicker though, and was between the two handing each a steaming hot cup of coffee before anymore licks could be passed. **

"**Just take your damn coffee and go sit down somewhere,…both of you", she said with false sternness, both hands placed squarely on her hips as she fought to control her smile at the two. **

**Murphy took his coffee, before placing a resounding kiss on her cheek. "Ah, thank ye kindly Ma", he said as he saluted her with the cup of coffee. Earning him a swat to his arm, and a dramatically exasperated sigh in turn from the fiery red-head with the matching temper. **

"**Just go", she laughed out at him, as Connor stepped up to take his own coffee. For a brief moment their fingers met in a fleetingly intense touch. The electricity from it rocked them both, as each avoided the other's eyes, and mumbled their way around one another towards waiting seats. **

"**Now", Smecker said, stepping around the low wooden coffee table to stand before the haphazard little group seated, "Onto the reason why you're all here". **

"**Yeah, it might be nice to know why I'm here with you three lunatics instead of with my recently hospital-released cousin", Ayden said tersely as she took a long swig from the chipped mug in her hand. **

**Smecker shot her a crooked smile, his teeth glinting off the light streaming in the windows. **

"**The boys here warned me about your temper Miss McAllister, it seems they weren't exaggerating… for once", he said smoothly, all the while pacing the floor steadily, the old wood groaning and creaking in protest. **

**Murphy snorted loudly before throwing up a casual hand to cover his wide grin. **

"**Shut it", Connor said warningly to his twin, as his eyes turned towards Smecker commanding him to keep quiet as well.**

**Smecker just chuckled softly, inclining his head in the direction of the fair-haired twin, before continuing on easily. **

"**Well boys", he said with a deep sigh and a suddenly weary appearance to his countenance. "It seems these fuckers down in Georgia, these 'Guardians' or whatever the hell they are calling themselves these days, are trying to link their name to that of the Saints here in Boston… to that of you guys. But that's not the worst part", he said as Murphy swore under his breath. "No, the worst part is that the media has seemed to jump on their bandwagon, and are claiming a connection as well. The police and FBI are doing the same it appears."**

**Connor and Murphy both jumped up from the sofa simultaneously, a slew of uttered curses pouring from their mouths in unison. **

"**What the fuck? How the hell do they get off pulling this kinda shyte?", Connor said, as he turned around and braced himself solidly against the sturdy oak railing of the staircase. **

**Murphy paced back and forth, chewing on his lip angrily while running a constant nervous hand through his dark locks. "For anyone to believe for one fucking minute we are even involved with this kind of trash", he looked up suddenly at Smecker, his dark sapphire eyes filled with a holy fire. "We are the ones who get rid of fuckers like this. The Saints don't join 'em,…we kill 'em, so that the all the good in this world can actually be safe. So that Da's can rest easy at night knowing their lil' snappers aren't going to be murdered in their cribs". **

**Murphy slammed his fist hard into the neighboring wall, causing Ayden to jump slightly. She couldn't possibly begin to understand how they must feel. To believe that one was doing something to help others, but still be held in the same account as those who harmed the innocent… it just had to be tearing the two of them up inside. **

**Those strange green-colored eyes of hers darted up to meet Connor's softer blue ones. They were filled with the same fury as his brother's, but they were also filled with a strange sense of sadness, a weariness of the job that Ayden had yet to be witness to until now. Her heart suddenly slammed against her ribcage, as it seemed to reach out to him. She wanted desperately to cross the few steps between them, and pull the hurting man into her arms. She wanted to comfort him, to show him that she understood him, and sympathized with his cause. She wanted to do all this, but knew she couldn't. It seemed as if her body was stuck to the very chair in which she occupied. Her eyes were still locked with his, as her emotions warred within her. Those dreaded tears of hers, these of compassion and tenderness for the man with whose gaze now held her captive, rose threateningly to her eyes. With a last meaningful look, Ayden let out a sad sigh, and turned towards Smecker with eyes bright from her unshed tears. **

"**What does this mean Paul", she asked quietly, although her voice sounded eerily loud in the deep silence of the room. "What does this mean for the Saints, for Connor and Murphy,…for me and Ryn for that matter", she added as an afterthought. **

**Smecker walked slowly to the now vacant couch, sitting down with a drained sigh of exasperation and despair. "It means that you guys…all of you, have to lie low for a while. I can't…", he said, turning to look at the still standing twins, "I can't have you boys caught by some reporter looking for his next big story. Or some new to the job cop who's needing his big break. And I can't have you or your cousin put in anymore danger by your friends from down South Ayden. They're all looking for you now…the 'Guardians', the media, and the police. Problem is, whose gonna find you all first".**

**His words hung ominously in the air, as the three of them digested the weight of them. **

**Murphy was the first to move. "I've got to go. I've got to go get me Ryn and bring her back here, before…", his words trailed off as a muscle in his jaw twitched worriedly. **

"**Aye Murph", Connor said, walking over to place a hand on his brother's tense shoulder. "Ye go and get yer Ryn. I'll come with ye", he offered. **

**Murphy shook his head, "No, someone needs to stay here with Ay. Smecker", he thundered at the man on the sofa, "Ye can come with me. Connor, ye and Ayden stay here, hold the fort down, so to speak".**

**Connor glanced at Ayden, who was still balled up in a tight form in the chair. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, too absorbed in her worrying about her family, and hell, probably himself and Murphy as well, to even notice the conversation around her. **

**Nodding his head sharply, Connor gave a small shove to his twin. "Ye two had best be gettin' on with it then", he said as his eyes pointedly flicked upwards to the clock. **

**Murphy dipped his head in agreement, before leaving the room in a flurry of haste with Smecker hot on his heels. **

**The car pulled to a screeching halt in front of the faded red building all too suddenly. **

"**You're here Miss", the cabbie said with an outstretched hand; The meter read forty-two dollars in bright red numbers. **

**Ryn pulled at the oversized leather purse of hers, and threw out the required bills. **

"**Here", she said impatiently, "Keep the change". **

**Pushing hard against the car door, Ryn stumbled out into the alleyway, her bags tumbling right along with her. The cold wind of Boston was fierce, today of all days at that. It nipped cruelly at her cheeks and the exposed areas of her skin. Slamming the door, Ryn grabbed at her bags and stalked towards the waiting apartment, all the while digging through that damned huge pocketbook for her keys. **

"**Ergh", she mumbled under her breath, her hand still lost within the leather depths of her bag. "Where the hell are my keys, they were just in here I thought."**

**With an uttered oath, Ryn suddenly flung the bag down to the ground, sending it skidding down the alleyway before stopping with an abrupt halt near the dumpsters. **

"**Damnit", she screamed angrily, as she tossed her luggage to the pavement and stormed off down to her waiting purse. **

**The bag in question lay in a jumbled heap, half of its contents spilled out around it on the cold, paved ground. Squatting down, Ryn tossed through the fallen junk before digging once more in her bag for her key, this time using the advantage of both hands. **

"**Where is it", she muttered, close to frustrated tears. Spying the gleaming blackness of her cell phone, Ryn stuffed everything back into her purse and heading back towards the door. The wind had picked back up, and it stung her cheeks roughly as the tears finally began to fall. She flipped open her cell sharply and hit the number two speed-dial button. One ring…two rings…three rings…four rings… **

"**Damn it Ayden, pick up your 'effing phone", she fairly shrieked in the receiver. **

**On the fifth ring a familiar, Irish voice came through the other line. **

"**Aye, Ryn", Murphy said with an unexpected urgency. **

**Ryn pulled the phone away from her ear, glancing down at the screen to make sure she had the right number. It read 'Sunshine', Ayden's nickname. Yep right number, wrong person answering though. **

"**What in god's name are you doing answering **_**her**_** phone", she asked, her voice deathly quiet. **

**Murphy sighed on the other end. There was no need to ask what **_**her**_** Ryn was referring to, it was all too obvious. **

"**Look Ryn. Where are ye? Are ye already at the building?", he asked. **

**Ryn rolled her eyes heavenward, "Where the fuck else do you think I am Murph! Of course I am at the apartment. Trouble is, it seems I've lost my damn keys, so now I'm stuck out in the cold until by some chance of a miracle I get inside". **

**She knew her voice was harsh, and that she sounded all too much like a bitch. But she was tired, hurting, freezing cold, and to top it all off she had lost her keys and was all alone waiting for someone, anyone to just realize she was alive. She wasn't used to being ignored, she wasn't used to feeling like she wasn't needed for anything. She wasn't used to it, and it was hurting her more than she would have cared to admit to anybody, especially to Murphy. **

"**Murph", she began, this time her tone slightly more congenial, "just please tell me you are on your way here".**

**Murphy could hear the hint of regret, the touch of an apology in her voice. It near about broke his heart. She had ever right to be upset, hell he would be downright pissed if the roles were reversed. **

"**Aye love, we're almost there. Just hang in for a few more minutes eh", he said softly into the receiver. "Oh, and Ryn…", he began.**

"**Yeah Murphy?"**

"**I love ye", he finished softly before hanging up. **

**Ryn listened to the dead hum of the empty line. Her pain and coldness forgotten momentarily as she leaned against the rough brick of the building; her eyes closed gently to lay against her flushed cheeks. **

**Suddenly the door flew open, nearly hitting the close-by Ryn in the process, as two darkly clad men came bustling out. **

**The first man had brown hair that hung greasily down his shoulders, a rumpled ensemble of faded black, and a shadiness about him that was easy to spot. The second was more precise in appearance. His dark suit was crisply pressed, his head was shaven smooth, and his stance was less nervous than the first's. **

**Ryn couldn't place them. Never, in the few weeks she had been here, had she seen them before. Although, in a neighborhood like this people were always coming and going. It was just the expensive white Lexus that appeared to be theirs that caught her attention on the whole. Most living in this place didn't even have a car, let alone something as nice as that gleaming piece of metal sitting near the curb. **

'**Maybe they're just visiting someone', she thought silently to herself, as she pressed harder into the wall to prevent herself from being hit by the wide open door and its 'exit-ers'. **

**The greasy man made a quick stride towards the waiting vehicle, barely giving her a cursory glance. His eyes were a inky brownish-black color, and were just as nervous and shady as the rest of his appearance. It was the second one, the man with the closely shaved head whose eyes riveted almost instantly on her, as he turned around swiftly to lock stunning hazel eyes with her own. **

"**Excuse us Ma'am", he said with a twinge of a southern drawl to his voice, his eyes roaming freely over her in an appraising manner that left Ryn feeling strangely exposed. A smile touched his lips briefly as his eyes continued to wander, but as Ryn's violet blue eyes met with his, she noticed that not even a hint of kindness or warmth touched the cold depths of his eyes. **

**The other man glanced around him, his eyes twitching agitatedly. "Hurry the fuck up", he yelled.**

"**We didn't see you there. Are you alright? We didn't hit you did we?", the bald man asked smoothly. **

**Ryn shook her head, the curls that had escaped from her hat bobbing against her face. "No… I mean yes", she stuttered, "yes I'm alright. And no you didn't hit me. In fact, you're doing me a favor,…opening the door for me I mean", she said, her voice growing braver. **

**The man smiled again, as his hand held the door open wider for her. "Well, I'm glad to have helped such a pretty lady as yourself", he said with a sly wink at her. **

"**I said hurry the fuck up", the greasy man yelled again, "Damn it Kyle, quit your fucking flirting and get your big ass over here". **

**The bald man's face twitched angrily at his friend's rudeness, before slipping behind an impartial mask again. **

"**Well, like I said ma'am, glad I could be of service." **

**He turned sharply on his heel to leave, and that's when she saw it.; A tie-dye key with a silver eagle charm clutched tightly in his fist. **

**The black car pulled up smoothly to the faded red building, the sleekness of the vehicle glinting in the midday sun. **

**Murphy took a long drag from the freshly lit cigarette between his lips, inhaling deeply before expunging his lungs fully with a smoky breath. **

"**Ye know", he said as he ran a hand through his hair, "it might be best if ye just wait here in the car ye know". **

**Smecker turned cool eyes to him, before nodding his head in agreement and placing the tiny headphones to his I-pod in his ears. **

**Murphy took another puff, trying to let the steady motion relax his nerves. He didn't really feel like going in and facing Ryn just yet, but he knew that it would only get worse the longer he put it off. Sighing loudly to himself, he pushed hard against the door, as he stretched his denim-clad legs out of the car and onto the cold pavement. The winter air was sharp, and it hit him with such a force that his breath seemed to be temporarily lost. He looked down at the dark gray sweater he wore, and wished for all the world he had grabbed his wool coat on the way out. He took one last pull of the quickly diminishing cigarette, before grinding it down to an ashy pulp in the can near the building. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Murphy muttered a low curse as he pushed the key in the lock and pulled heavily on the door. But he didn't have to pull very hard, or for very long. **

**The scarred and battered metal door swung open suddenly, as a bright blur of peacock-blue came hurdling into him. **

"**Oh Murphy, you're finally here", Ryn cried into the breadth of his chest. **

"**Ryn", he said as the surprise of her reaction colored his voice. "What's wrong love? Ye're shaking! Ryn?!"**

**Ryn shivered closer to the solidity of him. She was safe, Murphy was here now and everything was going to be alright. **

"**It wa…was them Murph. Them! They were here. I didn't lose my key, I thought I had, but it was them, they had it", she stammered. **

**There was no need to ask who 'they' were. Murphy already knew; the "Guardians". **

**He pulled at her shoulders roughly, shaking her harshly away from him. **

"**ARE YE ALRIGHT", he shouted at her, as his arms snaked around to pull her into a crushing embrace. **

**Ryn nodded once, her eyes filling with tears as she buried her head to his chest yet again. Her tears streamed down her face, leaving in their wake two small, wet puddles on the front of his shirt. Murphy felt the warm dampness, as he stroked her back gently and kissed the top of her head. My god, anything could have happened to her. And he wasn't here! This was the second time that he could have lost her to those bastards. **

"**Ryn, listen to me. Ye have to go and get in that car over there. Ye're leaving this place, right now. Do ye understand me? Paul and me, we'll get yer things, and then we can be on our way."**

**She looked up suddenly, her eyes clouded with confusion, and with anger. **

'**Hmph, big surprise there', Murphy thought as he took in her stormy eyes. **

"**What the hell are you talking about Murphy", she said quietly, her voice always a seeming full decibel lower when she was upset. "On our way where? And who in the hell is Paul? What is going on here Murphy?"**

**That was not the first time he had heard those last words from a woman he loved, and he was certain it was not going to be the last, especially when it came to Ryn. **

**Sighing loudly, Murphy threw up a weary hand towards the waiting vehicle, and the suddenly exiting figure of a man in a navy suit. **

"**This is Paul, Ryn. Agent Paul Smecker to be exact", he said. "He's a friend of Conn and me. And, he's the one who's going to be looking after us all to make sure we don't get our asses caught in another situation like the last one."**

**The man looked up at her with warm eyes, "Ah, you must be the infamous Ryn, Murphy has been going on about", he said smoothly. **

**Ryn eyed the man warily, her violet-blue orbs wide with shock and unease. "I hope its all good things he's told you", she finally said with a tremulous smile. "And yes, I am Ryn, by the way." She stretched a cold hand out to him, making an effort to bridge the gap. **

**Smecker took the offered appendage, flipping it over to place a genteel kiss on the top of her hand with a flourish. **

"**Enchante Mademoiselle."**

**Ryn's brief smile grew into a wide, toothy grin. This man was definitely not what she had expected as a friend of Murphy and Connor's. Ryn glanced back at Murphy, nodding her head softly as her lashes fell against her cheeks in a black sweep. "I can go in there in help, you know", she said. **

**Murphy glared hard at her before grabbing her shoulders and steering her towards the massive black car that sat waiting on the curb. **

"**No. We can handle it, besides ye don't have much stuff in that little room of yers anyway. Now sit back love, and relax. Keep the doors locked, we'll be back in a tick." With a final swift kiss to Ryn's pale lips followed by an even swifter one to her forehead, Murphy slammed the car door and strode into the building behind the already entering form of Agent Smecker. **

"**How is she Murph? I mean really", Paul said as they trudged up the flights of stairs, attempting conversation apparently. **

**Letting loose a low curse, Murphy just shook his head. "I don't know Smeck. I really don't. I worry about her, ye know. She's just so fragile a thing; Girls! I mean she's a tough little cookie for the most part, but a girl like her can only hold up to so much shyte for so long before she cracks."**

**Smecker nodded his head, his eyes coolly assessing his friend. "She'll be alright Murphy. That's what we're trying to do. Help protect her and her cousin."**

**Murphy made no sign he even heard the man, but instead just kept trudging noiselessly up the steps before coming to the landing and heading towards the apartment across from his. **

"**Here we are", were the only words he mumbled, before using Ayden's spare key to open the creaky door. **

**The sight inside that greeted their eyes made both men speechless for a few moments. **

"**What the fuck?!", Murphy yelled, suddenly finding his voice as he entered the room, kicking his way through the jumbled mess that littered the floor. **

"**Looks like your friends the Guardians were searching for something", Paul said calmly as his eyes roved around the sparse room. **

"**Hrmph…no shyte Sherlock", Murphy muttered, as he knelt low to the floor to finger a shattered purple vase and the crushed white porcelain rose it had held. It was a gift from him to Ryn. He had just bought it for her a few days ago, before she had gone into the hospital. He had been coming home from work late one evening and had seen it in the window of a local gift shop. The glass vase was exactly the vivid violet-blue color of her eyes. He knew immediately when he saw it he had to get it for her. That night when he came home, he had found her hard and fast asleep on the sofa, her dark hair forming a tousled halo around her rosy face. She slept so peacefully, looked so beautiful and comfortable, that he didn't have the heart to wake her, so he simply placed the vase on the table with the bottle of champagne he had bought for no particular reason, and a simple note:**

"_**A rose that will never fade, for my love that won't either**_

_**-Murphy" **_

**His anger boiled up inside him, as his fingers closed tightly around the broken glass. No, the rose would never fade, but it never sit beautiful in the little glass vase anymore either. He barely was aware of what he was doing until he heard Smecker's shout, "Jaysus friggin' christ Murphy. Calm down, before you cut your damn hand off". **

**Murphy blinked hard, glancing down suddenly at his hand. It was covered in bright red blood; his blood, staining the broken white pieces of the flower a blotchy rust color. **

"**Damn it", he murmured, as he looked around for something to staunch the bleeding. Spying a already shredded towel nearby, Murphy wrapped the hand securely before rising to look through the rest of the chaos, choosing to ignore the shattered rose beneath his feet. His eyes wandered from one corner of the room to the other, barely able to find anything that hadn't been destroyed. **

**The sofa had been completely ripped to shreds, clothing littered the floor or more precisely whatever was left of the clothing as that too had been shredded. There wasn't much left to salvage, but what was left, the two bagged up quickly, before heading back down to the car. **

"**I'll get the boys over here to dust for prints, and to take care of all the mess back in there", Smecker said as the cold air suddenly hit them as the door was pulled open to permit them access to outside. **

**Murphy just nodded, his dark blue eyes angry and unsettled. He was mad, no scratch that, he was pissed off. What the hell were those mother fuckers looking for? It didn't look like they had found much of anything. So what, they decided to fuck up everything the poor girls owned just for shytes and giggles? What kind of sorry sons of bitches were they dealing with here, although Murphy pretty much knew exactly what kind of men these sorry ass "Guardians" were. **

**He popped open the gigantic trunk of the car, before tossing the few bags he held into the back of the vehicle and slamming it shut. **

"**You want me to drive back", Paul asked, his ever-assessing eyes fixated on Murphy's face. **

"**Yea, sure. I'll sit in the back with Ryn then, aye."**

**Smecker nodded, and headed to the driver's seat, while Murphy pulled open the door to the backseat and slide in without so much as a word. **

**Ryn's head lay propped up in the corner of the car against the cold window. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing a steady stream of breath against the fogged over pane. **

"**Mmm, Murph", she said unexpectedly reaching across the seat the place her small, cold hand into his larger, warmer one. Her fingers brushed against the blood-sodden towel, as her eyes shot open, curiosity and fear clouding their intense depths. **

**Murphy forced a smile on his face for her. "It's nothing Ryn. Just a little cut." **

**He played his accent deeper for her, throwing on some of that good ole' Irish charm as she called it. Unfortunately for him, she wasn't buying it today. **

**She turned his hand over, her eyes growing wide with concern at the mess. "This is not just a little cut Murphy", she said loudly, her anxiety winning its way over any other emotion. "I think we should take you to the hospital, it looks like it might need stitches."**

**Murphy let out a loud burst of laughter, as he reached for her and pulled her into a the security of his arms. "I promise ye, I have had worse than the likes of this here little thing", he said as he threw up the hand in question, "I didn't go to the hospital then, and I'm sure as hell not going now. It's fine, although I think a warm kiss from the likes of a girl like ye, might make me feel lots better. Since yer in the mood for doctoring and all". The smirk on his face lit his features, and although Ryn was loath to let the subject drop about his injured hand, she was even more unwilling to do anything to wipe the wonderfully adorable crooked grin of Murphy's off his face. It had been too long since she had last seen it, and she'd be damned if she's lose it now. So she did what any good Southern girl who had been taught the art of social graces would do…change the subject. **

"**Did you get everything", she asked, as she absentmindedly stroked the bandaged hand. **

**Murphy's eyes darted from her face, as he looked out the window to the passing scenery. "All I could", he said honestly, although not wishing to further explain that to her just at the moment. But one look back into those ever-curious eyes of hers, and he knew that some explaining would be done. **

**Running his hand through his already windswept hair, Murphy let out a loud sigh. **

"**They pretty much destroyed everything back there Ryn", he said softly, his eyes never leaving her face as he tried to gauge her reaction. **

**Ryn let out a sarcastic chuckle, that soon turned into a rolling laugh, before turning once more, this time into a choking sob. **

"**Everything", she stammered, as she wiped childishly at her tears with the back of her hand. **

**Murphy nodded his head, "Aye, almost", he said, wrapping his arms around her bundled up form. "But don't worry about it, we'll get ye and Ayden whatever else ye need. I'm just glad that ye weren't up there. Those sorry bastards could have…" **

**Murphy's voice trailed off as his anger rose up to choke him. Taking a steadying breath, he fumbled into his coat pocket for a cigarette. **

**Ryn's curly head popped up from his chest as her eyes glared at the offending cigarette. "You know those things are going to kill you", she said with that air of bossiness in her voice that he loved for some strange reason. **

**Tilting her chin up with the tips of his fingers, Murphy placed a deep kiss on her chilled lips. "At least I'll die happy love", he said with a chuckle against her mouth, causing Ryn to shiver involuntarily at the sensation. **

"**Mmhmm", she groaned softly, wrapping her fingers in his hair to pull him back down to her waiting lips again. **

**Murphy's eyebrows shot up at her urgency, of the provocative feel of her curvy body pressed hard against his, of the way she ran her tongue possessively over his. He felt her hand run smoothly up his leg as her kiss deepened. Of all the times his girl wanted to get physical it had to be now, in the backseat of a squad-car, with Smecker in the front seat, and with them going to a house where time alone would be virtually impossible at least for the next 24 hours. **

"**Ryn", he said quietly, pulling her gently away. "We can't, love. Not now." **

**Her hair was wild about her face, the curls seeming to have a mind of their own. Her lips were a soft pink color, and kiss-swollen. But it was her eyes, her fierce eyes that blazed with passion, and a hint of embarrassment at his seeming rebuff that caught him. He almost lost it then and there; almost pulled her back into his arms to show just how much he did really want her, how much he had wanted her since that day back in McGinty's, how much her downcast eyes and reddened cheeks just turned him on more to her beauty. Almost, but the strangled cough from Smecker brought him back to reality. **

**Running a hand over her cheek, Murphy caught her face between his palms. "Soon", he whispered, his eyes locked intensely with hers. **

**Ryn let out a short puff of air, before pulling away completely and staring out the opposite window. He knew she was slightly miffed at him, but that would have to be okay for right now. He had more important things to worry about, as the two-story house rose up in front of them not even a mile away. Like explaining things to Ryn before they took it to that next level. He didn't want that kind of shyte looming over his conscience. Nor did he want her finding out some other way, like from her cousin for example. He and Ayden had talked last night for a long time. He told her just how much he loved Ryn and wanted to be with her, but that telling her about the Saints wasn't an option right this moment. Ayden's strange green eyes filled with understanding and tears. She told him that everything would work out for the best, but that if Ryn ever came to her wanting to know the exact truth, then she wouldn't hide it from her, not even for him. **

"**Here we are", Smecker called as the car came to an easy stop in front of the white façade of the house. **

**Murphy could see Ayden standing just inside the doorway, a huge grin on her face, with Connor mere inches behind her, his hand laying possessively around her shoulders. **

**Ryn saw her too, "Hrmph", she snorted, "It appears as if your brother has made a new friend". **

**Murphy's eyes shot up, the pout of her lips still fixed on her face. "It appears as if **_**yer**_** cousin has made a new friend as well", he said sarcastically, trying to force a smile on her face, but only succeeding in making her appear more frustrated than ever. **

**Ryn shot him a cold look over her shoulder, before her door was suddenly swung open by a waiting Smecker. **

"**Here my dear, let me help you out", he said, as his fingers closed around hers. **

**Ryn pasted on a brilliant, but utterly fake smile while she allowed herself to be steered from the car, and up the steps into the warmth of the house and her cousin's embrace. **

"**Ryn", Ayden breathed as her arms enfolded around the woman in question. "How are you feeling", she asked as the two walked past everyone else and into the waiting living room. **

**Ryn sighed heavily, she wasn't all that great at the moment, but it was more of a hurt pride rather than anything physically hurt. And that wasn't something she could easily explain to Ayden, especially not with Murphy, Connor, and this new guy, Smecker around. **

"**I'm fine", she answered instead, her eyes constantly roaming the room in which she now sat. It was nice. It had a home-y quality to it that she liked. Her fingers ran against the smooth grain of the leather sofa on which she sat. It was a butter-soft rich brown leather sofa, perfectly broken in, but not broken down. She leaned back and sighed again. **

"**I know right", Ayden's voice interrupted her quite thoughts, "It's a nice sofa isn't it?". **

**Ayden had taken up the seat next to Ryn, her legs sprawled out in front of her, as her own head lounged against the back of the couch and her arms hugged close one of the many soft crimson-colored suede pillows that graced the sofa. **

"**The whole place is like this", she continued, gesturing a hand at the house. "Just wait until you see your room Ryn. It's like it was made just for you. It's all done up in soft creams, and golds, and tans. Its really beautiful, like a real home you know."**

**Ryn nodded her head, making an attempt at actually listening to her cousin, when she knew that she hadn't honestly heard much of what she had said. **

"**Oh", Ayden gasped, a fact with which Ryn was only vaguely aware of. She was also only vaguely aware of the sudden shift of weight on the sofa, as her cousin sat up quickly before moving entirely off the couch. **

**Sprinting to the three huddled figures in the foyer, Ayden stopped short as she spied the two small trash bags Murphy grasped in his hand. **

"**Is this it", she asked quietly, her eyes cold and hard. **

**Murphy just dipped his head low in affirmation, before placing the bags at the foot of the stairs and turning towards the living room. His eyes fell on the sleeping figure of Ryn, a small smile playing about his lips because of her. **

'**Jaysus she's beautiful, whether asleep, or mad at me, or whatever', he thought silently. **

"**Ye know it's kinda creepy staring at the poor girl like that", Connor interrupted into his thoughts. **

**Murphy glared at his brother, cuffing him softly on the back of his neck. "Yer such a dumb ass Conn."**

"**Yea, yea", Connor mumbled as he grabbed the discarded bags and headed up the stairs, his heavy boots clomping loudly against the polished wood. **

**Murphy crept quietly into the room, gauging the steady breathing of the sleeping woman the whole time. **

**Things had definitely gotten complicated. And he wasn't sure of how to un-complicate it either. The worst part of all this, was how he felt. Murphy was in love. Real, true, honest to goodness love. And that scared him more than anything else in this world. It made him vulnerable, but worse still, it made Ryn vulnerable too. So much so, that not even he could guess of what was to come. **


	9. Chapter 8: Tangled Sheets, Tangled Lives

_**A/N: Sorry guys that is took soooo long to get chapter 7, and the following chapters up. I was having quite a bit of writer's block on this story, so I took some time away from it, wrote a bit on some other things, came back to "Sainthood" and thought about what path I truly want to take this story on. I am hopefully back on track. Keep the reviews coming PLEASE! Let me know if I am f**cking up our favorite twins too much, eh! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Boondock Saints story, or any of it characters. I do, however, own this story and the characters of Ryn and Ayden, and so on.**_

_**Warning: for bad language, violence, etc. Please review, any review whether bad or good is better than no review. **_

_**Thanks all, **_

_**P.**_

_**Chapter 8: Tangled Sheets, Tangled Lives **_

_**Ryn woke up with a start, a scream still trapped in her throat. The dream had been so real. She had seen it all with such clarity. Connor laying face down in a pool of blood with Ayden by his side. Murphy running after a dark figure in a rage, before three solitary shots rang out, and the sapphire eyes of her boyfriend closed forever. Dead. Everyone was dead around her as she pushed herself up. David looming over her body, a grimace on his face, a malevolent gleam in his eyes. **_

"_**And all this time I thought it was Ayden", he said as he pulled her gently up, before locking his lips to hers in a deathly kiss. **_

"_**No….", she screamed, before waking up in the cold, and silent room in which she now sat. **_

_**A permeating heat had lain a heavy, invisible hand over her body. It suffocated, burned right through the twisted sheets around her. She felt nauseous all of a sudden. Taking a deep breath, Ryn lifted a hand to her face. It was wet. Moist still with her tears from the dream. Letting out a sigh, her back hunched forward suddenly as a raw sob echoed around the room. Her breath came in short gasps, as if she was incapable of catching a decent wave of air. Her figure was curled into a half-sitting, half-fetal position as she bent her head to her knees, rocking back and forth. **_

"_**Ryn!"**_

_**Murphy had been down the hall, when the sound hit him. The cry was harsh, and sounded as if all the hope had been sucked from the being who issued it. Running into the darkened room in which he had placed Ryn only a few hours before, he was surprised to see her huddled figure in the middle of the bed. **_

_**Rushing to her side, he pulled her up and into his steady arms. **_

"_**Shhh, love", he crooned to her softly, pushing back her tear-soaked hair from her face with a gentle hand. **_

_**She sobbed still. Deep, wracking cries that took a hold of her whole body. It was not the soft sound he was used to hearing from a crying woman. This was despair, plain and simple. It was the type of cry that came from deep within one's soul. Her very heart was crying out. He knew the sound. Oh yes, he knew it well. The screaming, choking breaths. The terrified, yet enraged sobs. He could still hear his own screams from that night, the night when Rocco died. **_

_**He held her. He didn't know what else to do, except that. Words were not going to help, not right this moment anyways. So, he just cradled her like a child, wrapping her soft curves into the hardness of his body, rocking her lightly while he smoothed a hand through her curls. **_

_**Finally, her body relaxed, as if noticing him for the first time. **_

"_**Oh god, Murphy", she said, her voice hoarse and gravely. "All that blood…, everywhere. Ayden, and Connor, and …You." Her voice broke off then as she stared into space, her eyes blank violet spheres. **_

_**He didn't need to ask her what kind of dream she had been having, he could pretty much already tell. **_

_**He ran a hand over her face, forcing her to look up at him. "It alright, Ryn. It's alright. Nothing is going to hurt ye. Yer safe here, I promise ye that."**_

_**His words were lost on her though, he could sense it in the way that her bright eyes roved his face. **_

"_**I love you", she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands came up to meld together in his dark hair, as she forced his mouth to hers in a brooding kiss. **_

_**He felt her tongue collide with his, felt her nails digging into the hard flesh of his shoulder. **_

_**Murphy pulled away from her slightly, looking down into her confused face. **_

"_**Ryn", he said gently. God how he wanted her, how he needed her. But he knew that having sex with him right now wasn't going to take away her problems, as much as she might want it to. "Ryn", he called her name again, "This isn't right, ye know. I can't do this, and neither can ye". **_

_**The look of betrayal, of hurt and confusion made her face screw up. Her eyes were uncommonly intense, darkly so. He knew that she didn't understand. Hell, he hardly understood himself. All he did understand though was this, he loved her more than he had any other woman. And he loved her enough to have respect for her. Because as much as she might want sex with him right now, he wasn't sure of how she would feel come morning time. Walking away from the prospect of sex with this luscious bundle of curves and fiery passion was hard for him, but the thought of her regretting their love making was even harder. **_

_**And then suddenly, her face broke out into a brilliant smile. One of those that he had only seen her bestow once or twice. The kind that lit up her whole being, and stole his very breath from him. **_

"_**Murphy McManus, you are too much of a good guy for your own damn good you know."**_

_**His navy blue eyes clouded, as his brow came together. "What the fuck are ye going on about Ryn?"**_

_**She backed away from him slowly, her feet padding softly to the bare wooden floor. The light from night sky outside shimmered around her, making her skin look iridescently pale, and her hair lustrously blackish-blue. **_

"_**I'm fucking talking about why you think you don't want to have sex with me", she said as she continued backing away from him, her eyes locked with his. **_

_**Murphy made a move to get up, only to have her hold up a hand in protest. **_

"_**Oh god Murphy, I love you. And I want this more than anything. I have for a while now, I was just too nervous to act on it. Hell, I still kinda am. That dream, god that dream. But, it was just, …a dream. That doesn't mean I can't realize from it just how much I want you. We aren't promised tomorrow Murph. But we do have tonight."**_

_**With that, Ryn reached up a trembling hand, and pulled the black knit sweater off in one swoop. The material floated in a dark cloud before pooling on the bare floor. **_

_**Murphy's breath caught in his chest. She had the ability to do that to him, and she wasn't even halfway undressed yet. But it was enough. To see her standing there, in that black, lacy bra that could only be described as indecent, and that was being generous; it was breathtaking. **_

_**Ryn's left hand stood poised right above the button of her dark wash jeans. Her breath was short, gasping pants. It was him; the way Murphy looked at her, as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world made it so hard to breath. She was aware of how he sat board still on the edge of the bed, how his own breathing was shallow, of the sweat that had popped up and now lightly beaded his forehead. He let out a groan, as his hands unclenched the sides of the bed and reached for her, spanning her hips with flat palms. Murphy pulled her closer to him, nestling his face into the warm, satiny flesh of her stomach. Ryn just stood there, completely taken by surprise with this simple, sweet gesture. She felt his lips press soft kisses onto her gently rounded belly. Her hands came down into his hair, stroking it back from his face. A silent shimmer of sweat slide down the middle of his forehead. It captivated her attention. The slow, sensuous path it took, made her heart flutter more wildly than his gentle kisses to her abdomen did. A thought crossed her mind. A flicker of an indecent notion that wound itself around her brain and would not let up. She had to act on it, despite her shy temptation to not heed its sensual calling. **_

_**Ryn kissed his forehead, before sticking out a tremulous tongue to the small bead of sweat that had positioned itself at the peak of his brows. With a gentleness that exceeded her control, Ryn licked a matching trail, following the sweat down to the very tip of his nose. **_

_**Murphy's head shot up, surprised by the unexpectedly erotic act. His cobalt depths stared into her bluish-purple ones. There was a hesitancy about them, a shy embarrassment at having been caught at doing something so feral in nature. Her bow-like top lip pressed hard into the soft fullness of her bottom one, as her lashes swept down to lie against her suddenly flushed cheeks. **_

"_**Ye are so beautiful", he said all of a sudden. His hands left her waist to bury themselves into the fullness of her bottom, grasping it roughly as he pulled her further against him. He heard her slight moan, as his mouth captured hers. Fuck going slow now, he thought to himself. His hands pulled hard at the closure of her jeans, inhaling sharply with need and frustration as her own hand brushed over his to take over the task. With a gentle shimmy, Ryn's jeans rolled down her hips and to the bare floor at his feet. She stood there now in nothing but that damned bra, and even worse, matching black undies that while slightly more frilly, were considerably more see though as well. He could hardly take it; could hardly stand the waiting. But he wouldn't let this just be about sex between them. **_

"_**I love ye", he said quietly, as he stood up finally from the bed. **_

_**His breath was hot on her face, and smelled faintly of cigarettes and coffee. Usually the smell would have turned Ryn off, but tonight it fit. Not only did it fit, it turned her on even more. 'Well, that's something', she thought to herself. She wasn't the type to get easily aroused, so to speak, much less hot and bothered, especially by something so normal, so trivially weird almost. She kissed him hard, squarely on his open mouth, trying to absorb it seemed some of that distinctly 'Murphy' smell of his. Her tongue toyed with his, roamed the depths of his mouth, before playing gently around his lips and chin. She could feel the sandpaper-y texture of his stubble under her mouth; it was real, it was Murphy, and it tonight it was all hers. Her shyness seemed to be forgotten. But it had always been like that for Ryn. Her moods, her inhibitions and reservations coming and going, changing like the wind. But never had so much been given to her wilder side before. Never had she felt so completely at ease with a man, not until Murphy that is. She supposed it was the sweat thing that had done it for her. Not only did he appear not to have been repulsed by her desire to literally taste him, he acted as if it had turned him on too. Ryn felt the soft worn cotton of his t-shirt beneath her hands, and frowned slightly up at him. "You're still in your fucking shirt Murph", she said impatiently, causing him to throw his head back and laugh. **_

"_**Aye", he finally said, "So it seems, ye impatient little thing. Might ye be wanting to do something about that", he teased, nibbling at her ear as he whispered the words into it. **_

_**His lips gnawed gently at her lobe, sending little ripples of pleasure through her whole body. **_

_**A slight gasp escaped her lips, along with a mumbled, "Fuck". Again causing Murphy to laugh, though only a slight chuckle this time, and respond with, "That's precisely what we are trying to do, love". **_

_**She growled slightly in the back of her throat, undecided on whether his teasings pissed her off or got her hot. Her hands came down on the edge of his shirt, pulling at it with rough hands. **_

"_**Damn thing", she muttered, still fumbling with the top. So this must have been how Murphy felt when he was trying to pull her skin-tight jeans from off of her earlier. **_

_**His hands came down on top of hers, helping her as they both worked the shirt, and then his pants off. **_

_**Ryn's eyes gazed his body. She had seen him without his shirt before, but never had she seen him in just his boxer-briefs. A grown woman of twenty-three, and yet the sight of a man in his skimpy's had her feeling like a green girl again. But how could she not, when his shoulders loomed above her figure so broadly, and his lean hips tapered into those sexy lines right above… But it was more than just his body, or his kisses that made her feel like this. It was Murphy himself. He had stolen her heart. She wasn't sure how, or even when. She had never seen a light or heard any kind of bells. It had come quietly into her life, just like the McManus men had. Sometimes she had known it was there by its loud assumptions, and other times she had barely even been aware of it. But now, she wasn't sure if she could even breath without it, without him. **_

"_**I need you Murphy", she whispered fiercely into the night. "Promise me that I won't ever lose you, I can't ever lose you." Tears for him, for this night, for everything that was and would be, spilled suddenly down her face. **_

_**Murphy was taken aback. One minute she had been moaning sweet, but rather dirty curse words, and now she was pouring out her heart and her tears. That was what he loved about Ryn though. She was such a bundle of surprises, that one couldn't help but find her rather endearing. **_

_**He took her into his arms then, and lay her softly on the pale sheets of the bed. His body was propped up over hers, as he looked down into her innocent and vulnerable face. Her pink lips were kiss-swollen, her curls an absolute mess around her fair face, her eyes bright with tears; but never had she seemed more perfect and beautiful than she did to him in that moment. **_

"_**Marry me, Ryn", he said quietly down at her. **_

_**She blinked rapidly, taking in his words. "What did you say", she asked him in a voice that betrayed her uncertainty and fear. **_

"_**I meant to ask ye next week, at Christmas. But it seems, I can't wait, aye."**_

_**Ryn stared at him. She had known Murphy now for a few months, although it felt as if she had known the man longer. They had already been through a lot; had made sacrifices for each other. But there still were secrets between them. Like how he had known where to be when she had been in trouble, how to save her. And how he knew about Silas. Secrets that could crush them, could break them. With secrets, how could she marry the man? **_

"_**Yes", she breathed, a half smile playing about her lips. She was afraid of what secrets there may be, but Ryn knew she was even more afraid of losing him. **_

_**Murphy kissed her hard, murmuring loving words against her mouth the whole time, before pulling back suddenly. **_

"_**I have to tell ye something."**_

_**Ryn could feel it. The tension that bubbled there inside him. And she knew that the secret she had been so worried about was going to rear it's ugly head. She could feel it within her very bones, her very soul.**_

_**Shivering, she looked up into his face for comfort, but could not find any. "I know you do", was all she said finally. **_

_**Pushing at his chest, the moment lost and broken, Ryn stood up off the bed and pulled on a deep purple silk robe that lay draped nearby on the top of her bag. Her feet were cold as she shuffled to the nearby lamp that rested on a small shelf of classic literature whose titles were in gilt lettering. The bright yellow light flooded the room instantly, making both her and Murphy blink at the unnaturalness of it. The beauty of their moment, of the moonlight, of their pale bodies entwined was gone, and all that was left in its place where some tangled sheets. **_

_**Sighing loudly, Murphy stood up too. He reached for his jeans, pulling them back over his narrow waist, before running a hand distractedly through his hair. **_

_**Ryn just sat on the edge of the wingback chair by the bookshelf, watching him closely. He was worried, she could tell by the way he messed unconsciously at his hair. His hand dove into his back pocket, before coming out with a pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter. **_

"_**Ye mind", he asked, the cigarette already dangling from between his thin lips. **_

_**Ryn shook her head, her curls tumbling down. She closed her eye wearily, running both hands over her face, before letting her fingers stop in a steeple point at her lips, as if contemplating something. Murphy took a deep drag of his cigarette, before expelling a smoky breath tiredly. His face looked haggard, and for once Ryn wondered about the age difference between them, something she had never before done. **_

"_**Are you alright", she said quietly, as he leaned against the bed frame, staring blankly at the floor. **_

_**He jumped slightly, glancing up at her quickly before letting his gaze fall back to the floor. "Aye", was all he said in the quietness of the room. **_

_**Ryn sighed again, "Murphy", she began, her voice strained as she struggled against getting pissed off at the man. "Talk to me", she said, holding out an open hand to him. **_

"_**Oh fucking christ Ryn", Murphy swore, as he fell to his knees before her, clasping her hands tightly in his. "Ye just don't even know, do ye? Ye have no fucking idea. And, I'm scared of telling ye; scared I might lose ye."**_

_**Ryn grabbed his face, a cold hand placed on each cheek. "Damn it Murph. What is it? Just tell me. I can't stand this anymore." The waterworks began then, and Ryn cursed her easy ability to cry at the drop of a hat. "I'm supposed to be lying on that bed right now with you. In the middle of the greatest sex with the man I love. But, I'm sitting here in this damn chair, about to receive instead some news that I have the feeling is going to be the worst I've gotten in a while."**_

_**Murphy reached up to brush at her tears, only to have her wave him away with an irritated hand. "No", she just about shouted. "No, I don't need you always wiping away my fucking tears Murphy. I'm might be emotional, but I'm not as damned fragile as you think. Quit trying to always save me, and just tell me what is going on."**_

_**He just stared at her. How could he tell her, how could he make her understand? He wasn't sure that he could…, but he had to try. **_

"_**Ryn", he began, getting up and pacing the room, bare feet and bare chest. He took a deep, steadying breath, "The Saints…well, I'm one of them". **_

_**Ryn glared at him, before letting out a cold, caustic laugh. "Ha ha, real funny Murphy. Regular laugh riot you are. You found out about me being a P.I. didn't you, and that the case I was working was about these Saints fellas. So what, you thought I would think it funny Murph? God, this is so not even funny!" **_

_**Her voice trailed off, her patience worn thin, her voice heated. But the look that Murphy gave her, the look in those dark sapphire orbs of his, stopped her whole world. **_

"_**Oh my god", she breathed. "No Murphy, no damn you". Ryn shook her head back and forth, a non-stop motion that was blurred with her flow of tears and her utter confusion and betrayal at the news. **_

_**Murphy just stood there, biting his nails like he always did. He didn't know what to do, or how to deal with her. "Ye have to understand", he tried vainly, although he was pretty sure she wasn't even paying him much heed. **_

_**Ryn stopped shaking her head, her eyes red-rimmed. "No, Murphy McManus, I do not have to fucking understand. You are the one who needs to understand something. For weeks now, weeks… I have been wracking my brain trying to understand the connection between you and your brother in there", she said, throwing up a finger towards the other rooms, "and the Guardians. And now I know. It has nothing to even do with me and Ayden, NOTHING! Goddamit, Murphy, how could you? I trusted you, really trusted you. And what's worse, I fell for it. I fell for you! You promised me", she said, the last words barely above a whisper. "You promised that you wouldn't ever hurt me, that you wouldn't ever leave me."**_

"_**I'm not leaving ye Ryn. I'm trying to be straight with ye, aye. I wanted ye to know the truth, about everything."**_

_**She stood up from the chair quickly, her face a violent fury. "It's a little too late for that now Murphy. And you may not be leaving me, but damn it, I can't just stay here with you like nothing has happened. You're a fucking wanted man, and nothing in the world is going to change that. Or the fact that its my job to turn you in."**_

_**A muscle in his jaw twitched as he looked her over. "Aye, maybe not. But know this, I love ye more than anything else in this world, even my freedom it seems…"**_

"_**I…I", but the words, whatever they were to begin with because at that moment she wasn't quite sure, but the words, they failed her. With Murphy's final words hanging in the air between them, Ryn broke down. Her body convulsed forward, falling to the floor, as a dark wave of regret and strange relief washed over her, bathing her in unconsciousness. **_


End file.
